Marquez's anti-Aprilia strategy: "It's the others who lose"

After 14 of the 22 race weekends, the battle for the 2026 title essentially restarts from scratch. Marc Marquez (Ducati) and Jorge Martin (Aprilia) both have 274 points in the standings. But the nine-time world champion leads because he has already won five Grands Prix, while the “Martinator” has only won one. In Austria, the Borgo Panigale manufacturer will look to leverage the “home track” factor, as the Red Bull Ring has traditionally been Ducati territory.

The MotoGP World Championship is entering one of the most important and demanding phases for the riders. After Misano, the championship heads into a final stretch marked by many back-to-back races, with the Asian tour approaching. Marc Marquez arrives in Zeltweg as the leader of the standings, riding the wave of his double wins at Misano and Aragon. After a start to the season that was not exactly thrilling, the Cervera phenomenon appears in good physical and mental condition, despite the right arm issue he has been carrying for some time.

There is a certain confidence heading into the Austrian GP, where he already won last year aboard the Desmosedici. “I feel good, comfortable and, well, obviously cautious, very cautious about everything that might happen. Because it’s clear that every session is different,” observed #93.

One of Marc Marquez’s strengths is precisely his approach to racing, the experience he has gained in managing pressure, and a riding style that’s sharper and more calculated. “I used to ride on instinct. Now it’s about using my head, thinking, planning. Now you have to reason a lot more.” This doesn’t mean giving up the notorious aggressiveness that has defined him since the start of his career. “There are moments in the Sprints when you have to take risks, and things can always go wrong. At the very least, you have to prepare as best as possible so the performance is flawless.”

In such a fiercely contested championship, every tiny detail can make the difference, both in the race and in the fight for the world crown. The reigning MotoGP champion has clawed back over a hundred points from the top, thanks above all to his rivals’ mistakes (see Bezzecchi and Martin). “I was out of the game; it’s the others who are losing. That’s my mindset. I was completely out of this championship because, even if I had won all the races, if the leader finished second, I wouldn’t have won. So I’m not the one winning; it’s the others who have made mistakes. They’ve given me this opportunity, and we’ll try to make the most of it. If it happens, great; otherwise, next year there’s 2027.”

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