Marc Marquez Admits Alex as Main MotoGP 2026 Title Rival

MotoGP, Sportrik Media - Marc Marquez has identified his younger brother, Alex Marquez, as his primary rival in the fight for the 2026 MotoGP World Championship, citing the Gresini Ducati rider’s runner-up finish in last season’s standings.

Alex Marquez ended the 2025 campaign as Marc Marquez’s closest challenger, finishing second to his brother on 17 occasions across the season. Beyond consistency, Alex also delivered several landmark results, becoming the first rider to defeat Marc in a direct on-track battle by winning the Silverstone Sprint, before ending Marc’s 15-race winning streak with victory at the Catalan Grand Prix.

That level of performance has been rewarded for 2026, with Alex Marquez receiving factory-spec Ducati machinery while remaining with Gresini Racing. The technical upgrade represents recognition of his strongest premier-class season to date and places him in a significantly more competitive position for the upcoming title fight.

“The first one is Alex, my brother. He finished second last year, so I’ll answer based on the standings,” Marc Marquez told Sky Italia.

While acknowledging the final championship order, Marc then departed from the standings hierarchy by placing his factory Ducati team-mate ahead of Aprilia’s lead rider when outlining the broader competitive landscape for 2026.

“Then I’ll put Pecco, who is a two-time world champion and showed his potential with a double victory in Japan,” Marc added, referring to Francesco Bagnaia.

“And then there’s Aprilia, who finished very strongly with Bezzecchi and will be difficult to manage.”

Marco Bezzecchi concluded the 2025 season in third place overall and emerged as the highest points scorer during the second half of the championship. That surge in form came despite Marc Marquez being sidelined for part of the closing stages following their Mandalika collision, reinforcing the view that Aprilia enters 2026 with genuine competitive momentum.

KTM rider Pedro Acosta also finished the season ahead of Bagnaia, while the former double Ducati champion slipped to fifth overall. Bagnaia’s 2025 campaign combined four victories and 16 podium finishes with 17 non-scoring results across Sprints and Grands Prix, a level of inconsistency that ultimately weakened his championship position despite his proven pedigree.

Asked about his own expectations ahead of the new season, Marc Marquez openly acknowledged the pressure that comes with riding for the factory Ducati Lenovo Team. With the opportunity to equal the all-time record of eight premier-class world titles, Marquez accepted that title contention is a non-negotiable requirement.

“If you’re wearing red, you have to fight for the title,” Marquez said.

“You’re with the team that has won in recent years, everything is in your hands.

“We’ll try to have a good and clean season right from the start, but always prepared for whatever might come.

“Our rivals will certainly have improved a lot.”

Those comments underline Marquez’s realistic outlook heading into 2026, acknowledging that Ducati’s recent dominance does not guarantee an uncontested path to another championship. Aprilia’s victory in three of the final four grands prix last season during Marc’s absence further supports the expectation of a tighter competitive picture.

Marc Marquez is set to return to MotoGP machinery at the upcoming Sepang pre-season test from 3–5 February, marking his first on-track appearance since undergoing shoulder surgery last year. The test will provide an early indication of his physical condition and competitive readiness ahead of what is shaping up to be one of the most closely fought MotoGP seasons of the modern era.