Joan Mir says Marc Marquez is closing in on the 2026 MotoGP title because his championship rivals cracked under the pressure he put them under, as Motorsport.com reports. The factory Ducati star has staged a remarkable recovery in the championship race after a slow start to the season, overcoming a 102-point deficit to reach his first match point at this week’s Qatar GP.
While the 33-year-old has shown impressive form since returning to action after surgery, he has also benefitted from Aprilia riders Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin conceding significant points through mistakes, crashes and their own injuries. The sharp swing in the title picture has put Aprilia under scrutiny, with the Noale factory having often failed to capitalise on weekends where it had the strongest bike. Honda rider Mir praised his former Honda team-mate Marquez for his brilliant run in 2026, saying the Aprilia riders had been unable to withstand the demands of his title challenge.
On Sunday, he had a perfect race. A difficult race, where you had to manage the situation but also be fast while doing so. And he managed to do both.
"I see Marc as being completely focused on what he has to do, without making any mistakes," said the 2020 world champion. "Personally, I think the title is well within his reach, because the others aren’t able to cope with the pressure he’s putting them under."
Fabio Quartararo, who won the championship a year after Mir, highlighted Marquez’s performance at the Australian Grand Prix, where Martin crashed while chasing his countryman in the sprint and broke his wrist. "It's true that Marc now is super, super strong. He pushed really well and really cleverly in Australia," he said after the sprint race at Sepang. "So, if he keeps going like that, of course, the title is for him."
Aware of his physical limitations after repeated damage to his right arm and shoulder, Marquez has become more calculated this year, making every possible effort to conserve his energy over a race weekend. That increased determination is also evident in the way he approaches races. Over the Malaysian GP weekend, Marquez chose not to take any undue risks in the sprint amid the ever-present threat of rain, particularly with Martin already forced out of the weekend due to injury. But in a dry full-distance race on Sunday, he went on the attack, taking the lead from Alex Marquez at the start and claiming the maximum points available.
Ducati general manager Gigi Dall’Igna praised this aspect about Marquez’s approach, saying the Spaniard had shown he could exercise restraint when necessary. "On Saturday, he chose to stay back to take fewer risks. That’s something I think only the best do, because it’s not normal for a rider to be able to minimise risks like that. It might be normal for many other people, but riders rarely manage to put such strategies into practice," said Dall’Igna. "On Sunday, he had a perfect race. A difficult race, where you had to manage the situation but also be fast while doing so. And he managed to do both."
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