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Marc Marquez won the 2025 MotoGP riders’ title after dominating the premier class in his first campaign for the factory Ducati team, to also become a seven-time champion.

The 32-year-old has been in a class of his own throughout the 2025 MotoGP season so far, to lead the standings with 545 points through the first 18 rounds of this year’s scheduled 22. Marquez also has a 183-point lead over his brother, Gresini’s Alex Marquez, in second place.

Ducati have also seen Marquez take 11 Grand Prix wins and 15 podiums, 14 Sprint wins, and eight pole positions this season. But Marquez will miss the rounds in Australia and Malaysia through injury, having required surgery for the collarbone fracture he suffered in Indonesia.

The Spaniard initially hoped to avoid an operation for the injury he sustained last time out at Mandalika. But further tests one week on from Marquez’s crash with Marco Bezzecchi in the Indonesian Grand Prix revealed his acromioclavicular ligaments were not healing as desired.

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Francesco Bagnaia will not fight Marc Marquez for the 2026 title unless he’s at one with his Ducati

Now, Ducati’s hopes for the next few races fall on Francesco Bagnaia, with test rider Michele Pirro replacing Marquez in Australia this weekend. The Borgo Panigale crew are yet to name the Cervera native’s replacement for the Malaysian Grand Prix weekend on October 24-26.

READ MORE: Everything to know about Francesco Bagnaia from net worth to race number

Bagnaia has been a shadow of himself so far this year, with the 28-year-old only scoring 274 points to be in a fight with Aprilia rival Bezzecchi for P3 in the standings. The Italian has also only won two Grands Prix and taken eight podiums, won one Sprint and achieved two poles.

So, while Davide Brivio considers Bagnaia an “anti-Marquez”, the Trackhouse team principal questions if the Turin native will fight his Ducati teammate for the 2026 MotoGP title. Unless Bagnaia is at one with his bike next season, Marquez might not have a true rival for the title.

“There are definitely ‘anti-Marquez’ riders out there [in Fabio] Quartararo, Bagnaia, Jorge Martin, [Pedro] Acosta and Bezzecchi,” Brivio told Cycle World. “They can all fight Marc.

“The problem is that none of them currently have the ideal combination of rider and bike. Quartararo is still limited by Yamaha’s performance. Bagnaia is struggling to find the feeling with his Ducati. Martin has missed races due to injury.”

Davide Brivio thinks Marc Marquez is in ‘the best possible situation’ to win the 2026 title

Bagnaia won the Sprint and the Grand Prix in Japan to show he can still beat Marquez when the two-time MotoGP champion is at one with his Ducati. But the VR46 Academy product’s performance at Motegi did not then see him avoid a weekend of utter misery at Mandalika.

READ MORE: Everything to know about Marc Marquez from net worth to girlfriend

TalkingPoints

Will Francesco Bagnaia fight Marc Marquez for the 2026 MotoGP riders’ title?

Ducati’s Indonesian GP hopes were over by Lap 7, as Bagnaia crashed out of last place while Bezzecchi and Marquez had tangled on L1. The Bologna Bullets even saw Bagnaia finish the Mandalika Sprint in P14 and last, as he took the chequered flag 29.393 seconds off the lead.

So, if Bagnaia cannot gel with his Ducati in 2026, Yamaha cannot offer Quartararo a stronger bike and Bezzecchi has more to find in his second year with Aprilia, then Brivio tips Marquez to lead the way. Brivio believes Marquez’s rivals need the “perfect” concoction to deny him.

Brivio added: “In this moment, Marc is in the best possible situation. He just won the MotoGP title, dominating the championship. He is riding the best bike in the factory Ducati team. To beat him, everything has to be perfect.

“Fabio doesn’t have the machine. Marco is still building his project with Aprilia. Pecco is really suffering. The challengers [to Marquez] are there, but they’re not in the right place at the right time… yet.”