DALL’IGNA EXPECTS MOTOGP TITLE BATTLE TO GO DOWN TO THE WIRE

Gigi Dall’Igna expects the 2026 MotoGP title battle to remain unresolved until the final rounds after the Austrian Grand Prix delivered another unexpected result. Ducati had won 10 of the previous 12 races at the Red Bull Ring, but its bikes struggled for grip with the stiffer rear tyre at a circuit where the manufacturer had traditionally excelled.

“This championship is proving to be hanging on absolute unpredictability,” Ducati Corse’s general manager wrote in his LinkedIn review. “Every GP unfolds as a distinct chapter,” he added, predicting a story that could prove a “cliff-hanger to the very end.” Dall’Igna said Ducati’s difficulties in Austria were plain to see, despite expectations that the team would be among the leading contenders.

Marc Marquez arrived at the event leading the championship for the first time this season, having recovered from a 102-point deficit. He finished second behind Jorge Martin in the Sprint, but took fifth in Sunday’s grand prix after early brake problems. Martin’s victory widened his advantage, leaving Marquez 12 points behind as the championship heads into its overseas rounds.

Dall’Igna praised Marquez for staying competitive despite the technical trouble, saying his pace had matched the best. He described the fifth place as a valuable result in a weekend when Ducati’s overall performance was “generally lacklustre,” and stressed the importance of continuing to score points even when a podium is out of reach.

The weekend also brought a landmark result for KTM: Pedro Acosta, who is set to become Marquez’s Ducati team-mate, claimed his first MotoGP victory. Dall’Igna congratulated KTM on a win he called long-awaited and deserved, adding that its sporting significance and the circumstances around it made the moment difficult not to feel emotionally.

Francesco Bagnaia finished seventh, a result Dall’Igna viewed as a sign of resilience after a difficult spell. The Italian has not been on the podium since Brno in June. “We are talking about a world champion who deserves more,” Dall’Igna wrote, but said the Austrian weekend represented an important first step and expressed confidence that further progress would follow.

The next round is at Motegi, where Marquez secured the title last year and Bagnaia won both races. After Austria’s sharp reversal of expectations, Dall’Igna’s forecast is clear: the championship remains open, and its next chapter may bring another change in direction.