TARDOZZI STILL BACKS APRILIA AS 2026 TITLE FAVOURITES

Marc Marquez strengthened his grip on the 2026 MotoGP title race at Phillip Island, but Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi still considers Aprilia the favourite.

Jorge Martin crashed during the Sprint and suffered a non-displaced fracture to his radius. Marquez won the race, moving 10 points clear in the standings. The Australian Grand Prix was later cancelled because poor weather and limited visibility prevented the medical helicopter from operating, leaving Marquez unable to extend his advantage further.

Tardozzi expressed sympathy for Martin and said he had heard the injury might not prevent him from racing at Sepang. “For me, the person comes first,” he told AS, while also praising Martin’s determination to return and score points in Malaysia. Martin is expected to travel to the next round, where his fitness will be assessed. Missing races could seriously damage his title hopes: the source reports he could lose as many as 74 points if he is unable to compete in Malaysia and Qatar. The Qatar round itself could also be cancelled.

Reflecting on the Sprint, Tardozzi called the duel between the title contenders a “championship-deciding battle.” He said Marquez had managed the race intelligently, while Martin’s crash came after a mistake. “I think Marc rode a very clever race,” Tardozzi said. “Jorge made a mistake, but I think Marc managed the race very well.”

Despite Marquez’s advantage and Martin’s injury, Tardozzi does not believe the championship has shifted decisively in Ducati’s favour. He expects Aprilia’s RS-GP to be stronger than Ducati’s Desmosedici at three or four of the remaining circuits. “I don’t feel it’s any closer. I think the Aprilias are still the favourites,” he said, adding that Marquez would need to keep delivering to remain at the top of the standings.

Aprilia teammate Marco Bezzecchi is 50 points behind Marquez, while Martin’s prospects depend in part on whether he can race in Malaysia. Marquez is therefore in a strong position to pursue another premier-class crown, but Tardozzi’s assessment is that the remaining tracks could still favour Aprilia.