As a razor-thin two-point margin separates the championship frontrunners heading into the final five rounds, Aprilia has addressed the burning question of whether team orders could soon play a decisive role in the 2026 MotoGP title fight.
With only 185 points up for grabs across the final five rounds, eight riders remain mathematically in contention for the 2026 MotoGP World Championship. Nevertheless, based on performance, consistency, and overall points tallies, a clear top three has emerged.
Ahead of the upcoming Australian GP, Jorge Martin leads the standings with 355 points. Marc Marquez trails him by just two points, equalling the tightest margin between the top two after 17 rounds since Fabio Quartararo and Francesco Bagnaia’s duel following the 2022 Thai GP. Meanwhile, Marco Bezzecchi sits third with 309 points.
The fight for the crown has been exceptionally fierce. In recent weeks, the championship lead has swung repeatedly between Marquez and Martin. Following a double victory at Misano, Marquez surged to the top, only for Martin to reclaim it in Austria. The Ducati rider slashed the deficit back down to two points in Japan before briefly retaking the lead in Saturday’s Sprint in Indonesia. On Sunday, however, the Madrid native reclaimed top spot, leaving Lombok with the exact same two-point advantage he brought with him.
Martin and Marquez face unknown flyaway test
Adding to the drama is the lack of recent data for the title protagonists on their current machinery across the flyaway run. The current points leader has no racing experience on the RS-GP around the remaining five tracks, barring Valencia, where he completed part of the race distance last year. Neither does Marquez, whose last visit to these venues was aboard Gresini’s GP23, a far cry from the factory GP26 he commands today.
However, this could hand a subtle advantage to third-placed Bezzecchi, who dominated the final leg of last season. However, the Italian didn’t face competition quite as fierce last year, with both Martin and Marquez absent or heavily hampered during that period in 2025.
“The world championship is more lost than won,” Bezzecchi admitted in Mandalika. “But I’m not throwing in the towel.”
Moreover, history remains on the nine-time world champion’s side. Whenever Marc Marquez has held the championship lead at any point during a season, he has ultimately gone on to be crowned World Champion.
When do team orders kick in for Aprilia?
In the final stretch of the campaign, every single point counts, and Aprilia knows it. The Noale manufacturer holds a unique tactical advantage with four RS-GPs sitting inside the top seven of the championship standings. Should the team deploy orders, it could prove to be a decisive edge.
“Our two riders know that while they’re both in contention, it’s open,” Massimo Rivola explained during the Thursday conference before the Indonesian GP. “If one is eliminated, his mission will be to help his teammate, if possible.”
“For now, as Massimo Rivola stated, everybody is completely free,” Aprilia technical director Fabiano Sterlacchini echoed when talking to the media in Mandalika. “We are starting to discuss putting some directive guidelines to avoid problems.
“There is no set deadline yet, but in a few races from here, the time may come to have a discussion with Massimo and define a team strategy.
“We’re quite a long way off at the moment, there are a lot of points up for grabs, and anything can happen. We feel comfortable allowing freedom for now, but I don’t know for how long.”
While #72 remains within striking distance, Aprilia is therefore content to let its riders race as they please. But the dynamic presents a delicate internal situation. Potentially having to decide whether to favour Martin or Bezzecchi, whom many view as the long-term pillar of the Italian brand. Ultimately, pure competition reigns until securing a historical double crown forces Noale’s hand to make a firm choice.
Inside Marc Marquez’s 102-point title comeback
This tense battle at the top was almost unthinkable back in May at Mugello, when Marquez languished a distant 102 points behind then-leader Bezzecchi. However, a combination of mistakes from his rivals and solid performance from his part handed the Spaniard a lifeline back into contention for a tenth career title.
“At the start of the season, our competitors were so far ahead with such a large points lead that it was certainly difficult to think we could still win the title,” Ducati boss Gigi Dall’Igna conceded. “But our job is to believe in it and push everyone else to believe in it too. Marc is the best at keeping the team motivated. He pushes us, and he truly believes he can reclaim the title.”
Aprilia holds a 12-point lead over Ducati in the Constructors’ Championship and stands on the verge of making history this season. However, Saturday’s Mandalika Sprint collision between Bezzecchi and Trackhouse Racing’s Raul Fernandez proved that everything remains wide open.
“Unfortunately, we saw with the Sprint incident that it’s a part of the game. And even though you are trying to clarify the role, the possibility and the risk, sometimes some things can happen.”
With Phillip Island up next, Aprilia is unlikely to impose team orders immediately while Bezzecchi remains well within range. But as the mathematical window shrinks, Noale will eventually have to decide where to throw its full weight.
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