PUNDITS SPLIT OVER WHETHER ACOSTA WOULD BACK MARQUEZ IN TITLE FIGHT

With five rounds remaining in the 2026 MotoGP season, Jorge Martin leads Marc Marquez by just two points as the championship heads to Phillip Island for the circuit’s final appearance before its replacement next year. Pedro Acosta, fifth in the standings on 258 points, is still mathematically in contention, though his own title hopes would require a remarkable turnaround. Even so, his battles with Martin and Marquez could influence who takes the crown.

That possibility prompted a disagreement between TNT Sports commentators Neil Hodgson and Michael Laverty during coverage of Australian Grand Prix practice. Asked whether Acosta could become a decisive factor, Hodgson suggested the Spaniard might avoid jeopardising Marquez’s title chances if the fight remains alive at the season finale in Valencia. Acosta is due to join Ducati in 2027, where he will share a garage with Marquez.

“He could absolutely be the dynamite in this mix, couldn’t he?” presenter Suzi Perry asked. Hodgson replied that Acosta “doesn’t care” about the title battle, but argued that he is perceptive enough to consider the consequences of his actions. “If we’re in Valencia at the last round and Marc is still in with a chance of winning, he’s not going to absolutely stop that,” he said.

Hodgson reasoned that Acosta would not want to begin his Ducati relationship by helping derail the team’s championship bid. He imagined the Spaniard arriving at Ducati after the season and facing criticism if his actions had cost the team the title. “He’s bright enough not to do anything stupid,” Hodgson said, while acknowledging he could be wrong. He added that Acosta might otherwise be viewed as an independent, old-school racer who would “clean him out.”

Laverty saw it differently. He argued that Acosta would put his own racing first and would not be overly concerned about damaging his relationship with Marquez, despite their impending partnership. “I think Pedro is out for himself and won’t worry about damaging his relationship with Marquez, who he’ll be sharing a garage with next year,” he said.

Hodgson maintained that Acosta would be mindful of Ducati’s interests, not simply his personal relationship with Marquez. He suggested the team would regard a move that cost it the championship as a serious mistake: “They’ll all go, ‘You absolute fool. You cost us the championship.’”

The debate comes as Aprilia have been tipped to use team orders to support Martin’s title bid. Whether Acosta’s approach proves closer to Hodgson’s or Laverty’s remains uncertain, but his position among the frontrunners means his choices could matter in a title race separated by only two points.