Neil Hodgson Column: It's Marco Bezzecchi v Jorge Martin for the MotoGP title, and has Marc Marquez had enough?
Published 15/05/2026 at 12:25 GMT+1
React to this story
Neil Hodgson's latest column discusses the MotoGP title contest between Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin, while he questions whether Marc Marquez will want to keep racing after his surgery.
Highlights: Martin completes Grand Prix France double as title race intensifies
Video credit: TNT Sports
Neil Hodgson is providing expert insight to TNT Sports throughout the MotoGP season.
In his latest column, he shares his thoughts on Grand Prix Catalunya.
+++
After last weekend in France, we now know it’s on - it’s a shootout for the title between the factory Aprilia boys.
For Marco Bezzecchi, this is a huge round to take on, psychologically speaking.
He will have been thinking that he’s going to win the title this season. He would feel like the No. 1 rider in the team, and the bike and its setup has been built around him.
The last thing he will want now is to see his rival come from behind and take it all away from him, especially as he missed almost all of last season through injury. This could be a pivotal weekend.
I think it’s going to go Martin’s way, and that’s a testament to his sheer quality. He missed almost all of last year.
He had designs to leave the team. He missed testing before the season. The bike has been tweaked for Bezzecchi, and despite that he looks like the best rider already this season.Â
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2026/05/10/image-346b12f4-9c65-4179-8fb7-fd2c4b99c41d-85-2560-1440.jpeg)
'I'm blessed' - Emotional Martin celebrates first MotoGP victory in almost two years
Video credit: TNT Sports
When you watch Martin, it’s like he exaggerates his body movement as he hangs off the bike. He’s not a tall rider, only about 5ft 6in. He uses his frame well so he can really feel where the tyres meet the track.
It’s a remarkable turnaround. Yes, he’s a former world champion, but let’s be honest. None of us had him down as a title contender, none of us had him in our top threes either.
A disastrous 2025 looked to be a harbinger of more disappointment, but now there’s a real rivalry on the cards between the Aprilia drivers.
Usually, you can get on okay with a team–mate. But when it’s between you and them, it all goes out the window pretty quickly.
- Marquez delivers positive surgery update following Le Mans crash
- 'I'm riding with one-and-a-half arms' - Tearful Marquez reveals extent of injury
- Martin battles to Grand Prix France victory as Bezzecchi completes Aprilia one-two
Everything can get really petty. You might try to one-up them with an answer in the press, get a better hire car for the weekend, anything. But then you have to do PR together, and you race together every weekend.
I took a look at these two, and as well as racing together in MotoGP, they’ve had a long period together in Moto2 and Moto3. Overall, you can see that Martin has been the better rider.
In Moto3, Martin won all of them. In one Moto2 championship, Bezzecchi got the better of him, but Martin was on a KTM that nobody would have as their first pick. It wasn’t the right bike or the right chassis.
Right now, you’d have to say Jorge Martin is the better rider. It’s not clear just how much of a leap Bezzecchi has taken forward in that last season, but if you know you’ve beaten a rider over the past few years, having that edge means a lot.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2026/05/10/image-d6b18784-6132-45c3-a385-0cc627b37a88-85-2560-1440.jpeg)
'He came from miles back' - Martin takes lead from Bezzecchi at Grand Prix France
Video credit: TNT Sports
When you see the data from your bikes, you can be confident that your team-mate has nothing better than you do.
Martin’s already a confident rider, and if he doesn’t get injured again, I think he can stamp his authority over this championship. It’s not a foregone conclusion, but he’s become the favourite.
Does Marquez think 'enough is enough'?
Marc Marquez has a decision to make, and I’m not sure which way he’s going to go. After his accident last week, it’s not clear when he’ll be back this weekend. In truth, I’m not sure he’s going to be back next season.
On the one hand, he knows the championship is gone. He can get both these injuries fundamentally resolved with this surgery. He can get his fitness back, and finally have a full rehab.Â
He could decide that this season is now a free pass. He can focus on his fitness and prepare for another real run at the title next season.
On the other hand, maybe this is the crash that finally makes him think that enough is enough.
He has dug so deep over the last decade - can he dig even further? His body has been through more punishment than any other racer.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2026/05/10/image-840c5e81-e904-4818-8149-daa2b61864b6-85-2560-1440.jpeg)
'Marc hasn't got the strength' - Hodgson analyses huge Marquez crash at Grand Prix France
Video credit: TNT Sports
When you have that many world titles, that much money, and you’re happy off the track, at some point racing will no longer be worth it.
The way he rides, he’s always going to crash. That will only change if he alters his riding style, but at that point he might as well retire. I don’t know the answer, only he does.
But one big moment on the horizon that we cannot know is that next season, we’re all presupposing that the Ducati will be good enough to compete. There’s no assurance of that.
It might not be good, and Marquez will be racing alongside the animal that is Pedro Acosta. He’s as hungry as Marquez was 10 years ago, who will do whatever it takes to win.Â
The curious case of Francesco Bagnaia
This injury also leaves Pecco Bagnaia out on his own as Ducati’s top rider. Any more failure, the spotlight will be on him and him alone. At this point, though, I am not certain much has changed. Â
He has failed to finish eight of the last 10 MotoGPs. What is strange is that he is convinced that the crash in Le Mans wasn’t his mistake.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2026/05/10/image-b3c37181-cf98-4ce4-bfa5-4a8371753a6d-85-2560-1440.jpeg)
'Bagnaia crashes out!' - Grand Prix France gets worse for Ducati as second rider crashes
Video credit: TNT Sports
He seems confident that the problem is with the bike, not him. There must be something going on at Ducati, and maybe the truth - if there is one - will out at some point this season.
Ever since that dominant double in Japan, it’s been average. Even worse than average.
Alex Marquez can challenge Aprilia duo
Grand Prix Catalunya is a weekend that should suit the Aprilias. It’s a track where they’ve gone well in the past, and one where Martin has really done well.
Bezzecchi has done less well, but this season he’s performed in places where he never has before. He’s undoubtedly a better rider.
It’s a funny track. There’s no-to-low grip here. You end up with a lot of spinning, which really wears out the tyres quickly. It might depend on who is the smoothest rider, and who can protect their tyres.
That said, Alex Marquez won comfortably here, defeating his brother, who was on top form, so he has to be one of the potential winners too.
Add TNT Sports as a preferred source here to enjoy more content like this.Â
Stream every race of the 2026 MotoGP season live on TNT Sports and HBO Max
Advertisement
Advertisement