Marquez takes on Aprilia: “If you don’t attack, they’ll attack you.”

The 2026 MotoGP World Championship could be decided this Sunday, November 8, in Qatar. With a 44-point lead over Jorge Martin and a 67-point advantage over Marco Bezzecchi, Marc Marquez needs just one win, although there are a few details to consider.

There are still 111 points up for grabs in the three remaining races: Lusail, Portimao and Valencia. Each Grand Prix offers 37 points, split between Saturday's Sprint and Sunday's race. But everything could be decided next weekend in Qatar, an event that has been the subject of much discussion because of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Marc Marquez holds a slim lead in the riders' standings that could prove decisive. He needs to gain just 30 points in Doha. The reason lies in the tie-break rule: Marc has more Grand Prix wins than 'Martinator'. So if they finish the MotoGP season level on points, the title would go to the Ducati champion.

This means that if the nine-time world champion can extend his lead to 74 points after the Qatar round, his Aprilia rival will have no way of catching him in the final two races. He could draw level, but not take the championship from him. The Madrid-born rider can postpone Marquez's celebrations by scoring eight points between the Sprint and Sunday's race. He does not need to win, or even make the podium. He just needs to collect those points and make Ducati wait at least until the next race.

On paper, it seems like a simple task. The problem is that Jorge Martin is not in peak physical condition. The fracture to the radius in his right wrist, sustained in Australia, kept him out of the Malaysian race and has affected his preparations for this new Grand Prix. He may well decide to withdraw, especially with the Valencia test in mind, which will mark the start of his next professional chapter with Yamaha. So it's worth asking whether taking the risk now is worthwhile, particularly if he has not yet fully recovered. Eight points may not sound like much, but earning them with an injured wrist could be a very different story.

Martin is not the only one who can prevent Marquez from clinching the title in Qatar. Marco Bezzecchi still has a mathematical chance too, although his situation is a little more complicated. The Italian is 67 points behind Marc and needs to make sure the gap does not grow too much. If the deficit reaches 75 points after the Qatar GP, even the mathematical possibility will be gone.

Ducati's #93 has said that the Lusail track is not a perfect fit for his riding style. But in 2025 he claimed pole position and won both the Sprint and the race. Fresh from his triumph in Malaysia, Marc will try to wrap up the title straight away and avoid any surprises in Portimao and Valencia. "The strategy won't change: we work day by day, and our goal is to give it everything in Sunday's race".

At Sepang, he put himself firmly in contention for the MotoGP title, taking a podium in the Sprint (behind Pedro Acosta, his future teammate) and winning the race. An overly "aggressive" Ai Ogura put the Cervera phenomenon under intense pressure during Saturday's short race. Finishing second was far from easy. "Nine points in a race like this... Two more minutes and we wouldn't have managed to finish the lap. I made a small mistake at the start and then Ogura got in my way", Marquez commented. "If you don't attack, they attack you!". A clear statement of intent ahead of the next GP too, following the war of words between the Ducati star and Massimo Rivola.

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