The Misano MotoGP title picture could look very different by Sunday evening — and Jorge Martin insists that does not trouble him. The Aprilia rider arrives at round 14 of the 2026 season 19 points clear of reigning champion Marc Marquez and 24 clear of team-mate Marco Bezzecchi, and any of the three can leave San Marino at the top of the standings.
“Leading the standings is important for the entire Aprilia team, but we’ve already seen that, given the close gaps, it is neither a priority nor a determining factor,” Martin told Crash.net. “We need to keep focusing on our work. I can’t wait to get on the RS-GP26 and do my best at Aprilia’s home race.”
Why the Misano MotoGP title race is so tight
Martin has led since Assen on consistency rather than raw pace, with a single grand prix win in 2026 against four apiece for Marquez and Bezzecchi. A repeat of Aragon, where Marquez’s double win cut the gap by 21 points, would end his run in front.
Bezzecchi, who lost a half-second duel with Marquez in last year’s Misano grand prix, is chasing a second Italian win of the year after his Mugello triumph in May. “It will be fantastic to finally see all our fans again, although it will undoubtedly be a demanding weekend,” the Italian said.
Behind the top three, Fabio di Giannantonio is fourth, 48 points adrift, as he prepares for his last home race with VR46 before joining KTM, while Ai Ogura is fifth, five points further back, still awaiting clearance on the thumb he had operated on before Aragon. Pedro Acosta sits sixth after finishing runner-up for KTM in Spain.
The San Marino Grand Prix, the championship’s final Italian round of 2026, runs from 11-13 September.
