Marc Marquez certain that Pedro Acosta is a genuine threat to Ducati in 2026
Acosta leads standings as Marquez sees title threat despite young rider’s caution Pedro Acosta has been quick to play down any title talk ahead of the 2026 MotoGP season, but Marc Marquez is under no illusions about the challenge he presents to Ducati. “I see him as a real threat,” said the reigning world champion.
Photo by Qian Jun/MB Media/Getty Images Acosta leads standings as Marquez sees title threat despite young rider’s caution Pedro Acosta has been quick to play down any title talk ahead of the 2026 MotoGP season, but Marc Marquez is under no illusions about the challenge he presents to Ducati. “I see him as a real threat,” said the reigning world champion. The KTM rider leads the championship standings after a strong opening round in Thailand, with Marco Bezzecchi sitting just behind him.
Acosta’s impressive start included his first career Grand Prix win in 2026 and KTM’s debut sprint victory. It also marked the first time he’d led the championship at any level. While Acosta has been playing down his role as a championship contender in interviews leading up to the Brazilian Grand Prix, Marc Marquez isn’t buying it.
Marquez says Pedro Acosta is a ‘genuine’ threat to Ducati’s MotoGP title hopes Photo by Gold & Goose Photography/Getty Images Speaking at the pre-event press conference in Goiania, Marquez faced questions about Ducati’s rough start to the season and their plans for a comeback in Brazil. “We’ll see. We’ll try to score points and keep improving,” said Marquez, speaking to Marca.
“It’s true that they’re bringing back the Thai and Austrian fairings, which usually work quite well for us, but we’ll also have to understand how we adapt. And it’s not just about the bike but also about the riding, where Bezzecchi and Acosta are at a very high level. ” Ducati didn’t feature on either podium in Thailand or Qatar, while Aprilia enjoyed a clean sweep of pole positions, wins, fastest laps and 100-point hauls from those two rounds.