Jorge Martín defends 12-point MotoGP lead over Marc Márquez as Asian tour opens in Japan

The championship battle in Motegi

The 2026 MotoGP World Championship enters its overseas phase at the Mobility Resort Motegi for the Grand Prix of Japan, with seven rounds remaining on the calendar. Jorge Martín leads the riders' standings on 306 points aboard his Aprilia, holding a 12-point advantage over Ducati's Marc Márquez, who sits second on 294 points. Marco Bezzecchi trails his teammate Martín by 42 points in third place with 264 points, while Pedro Acosta arrives in fourth position following his premier class victory in Austria. The season has produced six different championship leaders across the opening 15 rounds, leaving the title contest unresolved as the paddock begins a sequence of back-to-back overseas fixtures.

Rider approaches and equipment factors

Martín enters the Japanese round after securing a sprint race victory and a second-place Sunday finish at the Red Bull Ring. Márquez, who previously claimed victories at Motegi in 2016, 2018, and 2019, aims to recover ground after finishing fifth in the Austrian main race. The Spanish duo addressed their respective title prospects during pre-event press conferences on Thursday.

Last year I arrived with an advantage of more than one hundred points and this year it is tighter. This year is a normal World Championship; arriving in Motegi last year with such a large advantage was not normal. This year things have gone differently, but the most important thing is that for another year we are in the fight for the title and we will try to do our best.

Martín pointed to pace differences across machinery, noting that Aprilia has never achieved a podium finish at the Japanese circuit despite recent setup adjustments and a resurfaced track.

The Asian tour is usually good for me, but compared to Marco and Marc, in general terms I lack a bit of speed. I feel that I am strong but not superior to them, I have to push a little more and find the speed that allows me to fight for the championship.

Demanding overseas schedule

The flyaway leg begins with consecutive race weekends in Japan from 2 to 4 October and Indonesia from 9 to 11 October. Riders will then travel to Australia for the event on 23 to 25 October, followed immediately by Malaysia between 30 October and 1 November. A scheduled round in Qatar remains subject to confirmation by organizers due to regional armed conflict, with 37 points hanging on whether the event proceeds. The season will conclude in Europe with a final double-header in Portimão from 20 to 22 November and Valencia from 27 to 29 November.

Grid changes and manufacturer battles

The Japanese Grand Prix serves as an evaluation weekend for local manufacturers Honda and Yamaha on home soil. Luca Marini leads the Honda effort with 98 points as teammate Joan Mir misses the round due to illness, with Somkiat Chantra stepping in alongside wildcard rider Takaaki Nakagami. Home rider Ai Ogura arrives sixth in the standings on 222 points for Aprilia, while 2025 Motegi winner Francesco Bagnaia enters ninth overall on 156 points for Ducati. In the lower classes, Máximo Quiles holds his first mathematical opportunity to secure the Moto3 championship title during Sunday's racing.