Crucial phase of the season
This weekend MotoGP returns with the Aragon GP, which on paper has a clear favorite: Marc Marquez. However, the 2026 MotoGP season is proving to be more balanced than ever and surprises are just around the corner. While the Aprilia-Ducati challenge was expected, the biggest surprise is the competitiveness shown by the customer team of the Noale squad, the American Trackhouse Racing. The team led by Davide Brivio has already won three Sprint races and two GPs and still has both its riders mathematically in the running for the World Championship: Ai Ogura is third in the standings, 37 points behind leader Jorge Martin, and Raul Fernandez, winner of the last GP at Silverstone, is sixth, 56 points from the top. Gaps that are far from insurmountable with 10 rounds still to go and 370 points available.
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“At Aragon we start the final phase of the championship, with some European races and then those overseas – explained Davide Brivio, presenting the Spanish trip – this is where we feel the championship is restarting, with many riders packed within a few points. This weekend will mark the start of the most important part of the championship. We arrive here with good momentum, thanks to Raul’s fantastic win at Silverstone and since Aragon is one of his home races, he will surely feel an extra push, so we will try to keep it up. Ai has never ridden MotoGP at Aragon before, so it’s hard to predict how it will go. Our bike and our two riders are competitive practically everywhere, so we expect to be competitive at Aragon as well. Then it will be important to see how the weekend develops. Staying competitive will be key. Aprilia now works well everywhere, so let’s see what happens at MotorLand“.
Words from Fernandez and Ogura
“Aragon is special to me – confirmed Raul Fernandez – I have beautiful memories from Moto2. Five days before getting on the bike I underwent surgery and then I won, so I have a really special memory. It’s a track I really like. The difference compared to Jerez and Montmeló is that there are more left turns, while the other tracks have more right turns. This suits my riding style because having more left turns favors my technique. But we also have to keep our feet on the ground. At Aragon we know that Marc (Marquez) and Jorge (Martin) are super competitive, as is Pedro (Acosta). We have to proceed step by step, we have to work well because the level of Spanish riders at Aragon is very high“.
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For Ogura, who was injured last year when the race was held at MotorLand, this will be a debut in MotoGP: “Regarding experience, there’s not much I can do – commented the Japanese rider with his usual calm – I can’t go back in time, so it will be my first time at Aragon with MotoGP. Let’s see how it goes from Friday. But since I started racing in Europe, Aragon has been one of my favorite circuits in Spain. I prefer left turns to right turns. In general, I like the circuit. I always have fun“, he concluded.
