Pedro Acosta believes Marc Marquez has emerged as the rider best placed to win the 2026 MotoGP World Championship, with the Ducati rider gaining momentum at a crucial stage of the season.
Márquez heads into this weekend’s San Marino Grand Prix second in the standings, 19 points behind championship leader Jorge Martin. However, his recent form has made him a major threat to Martin’s title bid.
The reigning world champion has won four of the last six Grands Prix, dramatically reducing a championship deficit that once exceeded 100 points. He also completed a double at the previous round in Aragon, further strengthening his position in the title fight.
Acosta, who will join Márquez as a Ducati team-mate next season, believes the momentum is now firmly on his compatriot’s side.
“The thing is, Marc has made up so many points that he’s already building a lot of momentum this year,” Acosta said.
The KTM rider also pointed to the remaining calendar as another advantage for Márquez. Several of the upcoming circuits are venues where the six-time MotoGP champion has enjoyed strong results in the past.
Acosta identified Indonesia and Portimao as two of the more difficult remaining rounds for Márquez, while suggesting that most of the other tracks should suit the Ducati rider.
Source: Detik Sport
Even when Márquez is not at his best, Acosta believes his ability to score valuable points could prove decisive in a championship that is expected to remain close until the final rounds.
“He has circuits coming up that suit him very well,” Acosta said. “And on his off days, he still picks up points everywhere.”
Experience could also play a major role. Márquez has spent more than a decade competing at the highest level of motorcycle racing and has learned how to manage a championship over a long season.
Acosta highlighted that experience while pointing to Márquez’s willingness to attack when the situation demands it. He cited the opening-lap move Márquez made on Marco Bezzecchi during the Aragon Sprint, which helped him secure victory.
“The moment Marc has to push, he’ll do it, just like he did at the first corner in Aragon,” Acosta said.
“I see this going to be a tight race right up to the very end, but Marc is the one with the most experience. He should win this world championship.”
Despite his prediction, Acosta could still have a role to play in the championship battle. The 22-year-old continues to chase his maiden MotoGP victory and could potentially take points away from the leading contenders during the final stretch of the season.
Acosta expects KTM to be competitive at several of the upcoming Asian rounds, particularly Japan. However, he said the manufacturer must continue improving its performance after making progress with reliability.
“At the moment, I'm happy because we are much more consistent in reliability, and we are not having any issues,” Acosta said. “So the first thing is done, now it's time to try to bring some performance.”
With Martin holding a narrow advantage and Márquez closing rapidly, the 2026 title fight is shaping up to be a battle of consistency, momentum and experience. For Acosta, Márquez currently has the strongest combination of all three.
