We've been worried since race one" - Aprilia on Marc Marquez MotoGP title threat

Aprilia says it has been worried about Marc Marquez’s MotoGP title threat since the first race, despite setbacks from early-season injury. The reigning champion returned to the 2026 fight with a third win in four races at Brno on Sunday, following a return after shoulder surgery at Mugello. He then won at Balaton Park, took third in the Brno Sprint, and added another victory in the Czech Grand Prix. That form has moved Marquez up to fourth in the standings, trailing Marco Bezzecchi by 40 points with 13 rounds remaining. Meanwhile, Bezzecchi has scored only seven of 74 points since his emotional home win in Italy, including a collision with teammate Jorge Martin at the Hungarian GP, a Sprint crash, and a Czech GP ban after striking a marshal. Martin narrowed the gap to eight points but finished ninth after long-lap penalties. Trackhouse Aprilia’s Ai Ogura led the RS-GP charge with pole and two seconds in Brno, 0.4s behind Marquez in the main race. The Dutch MotoGP at Assen starts Friday.