Jorge Martin heads to the Grand Prix of Japan at Mobility Resort Motegi this weekend as the MotoGP championship leader. The Aprilia Racing rider holds a twelve-point advantage over reigning champion Marc Marquez, while Marco Bezzecchi and Pedro Acosta remain in contention. With five Grands Prix in six weeks, Japan kicks off a crucial phase of the season.
Unlike last year, Martin arrives at Motegi in a much stronger position. In 2025, he suffered a broken collarbone after a collision with teammate Marco Bezzecchi in the Sprint. Now, the 2024 MotoGP world champion comes as the points leader after winning the Sprint and finishing second in Spielberg. The 2023 Japanese GP winner is targeting his second Grand Prix victory of the 2026 season.
Marc Marquez sits second, twelve points adrift. The Ducati Lenovo Team rider returns to the circuit where he secured his seventh MotoGP and ninth overall world title last year. His 2026 season has followed a striking pattern: Marquez has won every time he has stood on the Grand Prix podium, five times out of five. He has also taken six Sprint wins.
Bezzecchi and Acosta Still in the Hunt
Marco Bezzecchi lies third in the championship, 42 points behind Martin. The Italian was particularly strong in the overseas phase of the 2025 season, scoring the second-highest number of points from Motegi onwards. His prowess on Asian and Oceanian tracks could pose a threat to his teammate.
Pedro Acosta has also thrown himself into the fight. The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider has finished in the top five in the last five MotoGP races. His last three outings yielded podiums, highlighted by his first MotoGP victory at the most recent Grand Prix. Despite being 72 points behind Martin, Acosta showed promising form during this part of the season last year, scoring the third-highest points tally from Japan. Motegi was also one of the circuits where he came close to a maiden MotoGP win in his rookie season.
Ai Ogura arrives with high confidence for his home race. The Japanese rider returned to form with two fourth-place finishes in Austria and will be eager to shine in front of his home crowd. Last year, he missed Sunday's Japanese GP.
Fabio Di Giannantonio is just four points behind Acosta in the standings. However, the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team rider has failed to finish in the top five in the last four races and needs to bounce back to hold his position.
Raul Fernandez is also worth watching. The Trackhouse Racing rider took his first MotoGP podium in the Sprint at Spielberg, showing Aprilia's potential to fight at the front. He is determined to carry that momentum into Motegi.
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