Aprilia riders not ruling out Marc Marquez from 2026…

Aprilia duo Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin believe Marc Marquez can still bounce back from early-season setbacks and contend for the 2026 MotoGP title.

Factory Ducati rider Marquez has already slipped 71 points behind championship leader Bezzecchi after the opening five rounds of the season. While Aprilia’s near-perfect start to the year has handed an early advantage to Bezzecchi and Martin in the title fight, Marquez has also struggled to match the pace of VR46 rider Fabio di Giannantonio within Ducati’s camp.

With 37 points on offer at this weekend’s Catalan Grand Prix, which Marquez will miss after undergoing a double surgery last Sunday, the reigning champion could face a deficit of more than a 100 points even if he returns at the next round in Italy on 31 May.

However, Bezzecchi feels it would be premature to write off the seven-time world champion from the title fight so early in the season. The Italian pointed to the latter’s incredible 2025 campaign in which he won the championship with six rounds to spare, and ended the year with a 78-point lead despite missing the last four grands prix.

“I think Marc last year showed [what he can do],” said Bezzecchi. “He won the championship by more than 100 points. He won the championship in Japan, so it was five races before the end.

“So, personally, I never rule out Marc from the title. Now it's very early in the championship, so everything can happen.

“When Marc comes back, he will be super hungry for winning, so for sure, he will fight.”

Franco Morbidelli, VR46 Racing Team, Marc Marquez, Ducati Team (Photo by: Loic Venance / AFP via Getty Images)

Martin, who closed within one point of Bezzecchi in the title standings following his victory in the French GP, cited Marquez’s previous comeback from his career-threatening 2020 injury as proof of his ability.

“If somebody demonstrates that they can go from the lowest to the highest again, it is Marc,” said Martin. “So we cannot discount him. I hope he recovers soon and he's back with us very soon.”

Marquez had already planned further surgery on his right shoulder after a screw that was fitted in 2019 became bent and started touching a radial nerve, compromising his movements.

The fracture he sustained to his foot in the Le Mans sprint crash ultimately allowed him to bring forward the planned shoulder operation, which had not previously been disclosed publicly.

The Spaniard’s brother Alex Marquez said any talks about the championship are irrelevant when it is unclear when the Ducati rider will be able to make a comeback.

While Marc has already withdrawn from the Barcelona round, the timing of his return will entirely depend upon his recovery from the shoulder operation.

“First of all, we need to see when he will come back,” said the Gresini rider. “If he will miss one race, two, three or four, I don't know. Nobody knows.

"So on that point, we will be able to discuss if he will still have some options or not. Right now, it's too early.

“I think he's not thinking about the championship. He is thinking of recovering, and that's it.”