Hot topic: Majestic Mugello ready for MotoGP. The most exciting sport on earth touches down in Tuscany – home heroes ready to fight for glory.
This week, we’re having a postcard race. A quarter through the season and we are in the magical hills of Tuscany; MotoGP madness takes over Mugello as the Italian Brembo Grand Prix brings us round 7. Last year’s Tissot sprints and Grand Prix gave fans a blockbuster and they will be rooting for their same heroes in 2026 with the Italian leading the championship.
BEZZECCHI in charge: Apria to bring the magic of Mugello
For the first time since 2023, Italy are at the top of the league table. Marco Bezecchi (Aprilia Racing) endured a difficult weekend in Barcelona last week but extended his championship lead over team-mate Jorge Martin to 15 points. Never on the podium of the Mugello Grand Prix, ‘Beth’ hopes to change that statistic for Martin. He was on the podium at Mugello last year with the last two doctors and just missed out on this race for the first time. Despite his great potential, he scored 0 points in Catalonia and should be the 2024 World Champion. More than anywhere else, Aprilia relishes the opportunity to challenge and beat Ducati here.
Heading home on a high: ‘Digia’ winner, Acosta looks to bounce back.
Ruining the Aprilia party at the front of the field, however, Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) reached the top – his second victory in MotoGP after his success at the 2023 Qatar GP and he did it in front of a big boss. In the year He was on stage at Mugello in 2025. For rival Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) it’s rather hostile territory. In Barcelona on Saturday, the ‘Shark’ was on pole and 0.041s away from the Sprint victory and took a few hundred meters from home on Sunday – it was not to be. Mugello gives himself a chance to get into the game. Both riders are 26 and 50 points behind Bezecici after being very close ahead of Barcelona.
Headliners: Ogura and Fernandez are in the top six.
The other Aprias are not far behind elsewhere in the standings with all four in the top six, led by Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) in fifth and teammate Raul Fernandez in sixth. Both had controversial Catalan GPs, with Fernández clashing with Martin, Ogura taking out Acosta in the final corner and being penalized on the final lap. Both were in the top ten at Mugello last year, both will be looking for redemption and more so this year.
Competitors: 2025 Champions and Home Heroes
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) won at Mugello for three years between 2022 and 2024 but was fourth at the flag in 2025. After P3 Barcelona – first podium since last year’s win at Motegi – can Tifosi give them the result they want? Nowhere else on the calendar will he see more of a shot at doing so. Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol), Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) and Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) will all add to the home charge, with Marini coming off the back of his best result of the year with P6 to face Mugello.
Best in Barcelona: Critical form for Aldeguer and Quartararo
Fermin Aldeguer’s (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) surprise P2 in Barcelona showed that even if he’s not at full fitness, he’s still a force to be reckoned with. Was there a turning point before the similar situation in Mugello? Fabio Quattararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) came in fifth, his best result for 2026, a big increase; In the year It was a tough Italian GP in 2025 for the 2021 World Championship, but back-to-back top six finishes will bring incentives. Team-mate Alex Rins finished 14th last weekend to score points in 2025 at Mugello.
In the year A joint-best Sunday in 2026 would give Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) the impetus for Mugello, while Diogo Moreira’s (Pro Honda LCR) Barcelona P9 was a personal best. P13 may have been the best result of 2026 for Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) last weekend but that doesn’t tell the whole story, after taking P2 on Sunday street in the 2020 World Championship in Barcelona he was handed a tire pressure penalty – will his luck change in Italy?
Going Back: Heartbreak, Bravery, and Hunger
Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) also had a season-best P11 on his return to action and was in the top ten for the Mugello 2025 weekend. Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) scored back-to-back points for the first time in 2026, while team-mate Torak Razgatlioglu hosts Mugello for the first time in MotoGP and will be looking to get back into the points. Starting with Mugello, they will be looking to build on the next back-to-back.
Finally, we know that Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) and Yohan Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR) will withdraw from Mugello, but we still don’t know who will replace them. Stay tuned for that.
Meanwhile, we are still waiting for a definitive sign that we will see Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) back in action. After Saturday’s crash, the reigning champion left Le Mans with a shoulder already scheduled for the procedure after Barcelona. Will it return to action? We’ll find out soon enough. Follow the Italian Brembo Grand Prix this weekend as MotoGP descends on Tuscany!
Post MotoGP: Italian Brembo Grand Prix preview It appeared at first Roadracing World Magazine | Motorcycle riding, racing and technology news.
 endured a tricky weekend last time in Barcelona but extended his Championship lead over teammate Jorge Martin from one point to 15. Never on a Grand Prix podium at Mugello,){kind=link}