Johan Zarco believes Marc Marquez will win the 2026 MotoGP title, but a lingering shoulder injury could open the door to a three-way title race.
Marquez After joining, he won the 2025 title in record time Ducati He missed the final four rounds of last season due to injury. The 33-year-old required surgery last October after sustaining a coracoid fracture and ligament damage to his right shoulder during surgery at the Indonesian GP.
The Spaniard is not back on a MotoGP bike until the 2026 Sepang test in February, and continued to suffer problems with his shoulder in the season opener. Thailand GP. Marquez is far from at his physical peak as he is still trying to regain strength in his shoulders.
Even Marquez is using the Ducati 2024 Aero in 2026 because of his shoulder.As he realizes that a little exercise is needed during the exam. Marquez still started 2026 with P2 at the Buriram Sprint and was fighting for the podium before being penalized in the Thai GP.
If you were Marc Marquez, when would you retire?
Johan Zarco has tipped Marco Bezcic and Alex Marquez to be Marquez’s biggest title challenger in 2026, according to Francesco Bagnaia.
Zarco He believes how Marquez’s shoulder will heal in 2026. MotoGP season So far, it could be the only issue preventing a Ducati rider from winning an eighth premier class title. The LCR driver is confident that Marquez, who is fully fit, will be champion again.
Read more: Everything you need to know about the 2026 MotoGP season, from the calendar to the drivers
But if Marquez’s shoulder injury prevents him from matching Giacomo Agostini’s record eight premier class titles, the door will open for Aprilia. Marco Bezecchi and Gresini’s Alex Marquez To fight for the title, with Francesco Bagnaia Ducati is also in the mix.
Zarco said. reaping“I see Marco Bezecchi, who is very strong. If he starts where he finished, there will definitely be a fight for the world championship. But definitely Mark has a bigger difference than the others.
“For me, Mark will be world champion unless he surprises us with a shoulder problem. In that case, it will be a fight between Alex and Beth. And Pecom is sure to be there as well.
But if we’re talking about surprises, I’ll tell you the other two: Peco can’t be considered a surprise, Alex Marquez can.
Marc Marquez’s shoulder injury kept him sidelined after the Thai Grand Prix.
Are you changing any of your 2026 MotoGP predictions after Thailand?
It’s only one race, but there were a few surprises!
The Marquez brothers made history in 2025, as Marc and Alex became the first brothers to finish first and second in the rankings. Marc Marquez won the 2025 MotoGP title with a record five round wins, while Alex ended the season in third place with 114 points.
Both Marquez brothers are due to compete in the Thai GP after the first round in 2026. Marc Marquez is only eighth in the drivers’ standings, and Alex is last out of 22 riders after failing to take a point at Buriram at the weekend.
Marc Marquez’s penalty beat Buriram Sprint Pedro AcostaHe secured P2 at the Thai GP to finish atop the championship standings at the weekend. Bezecchi won the Thai GP, during which Marquez hit the road at Turn 4 and damaged a wheel rim.
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