Rivola: Marquez won MotoGP title, Aprilia did not lose it

Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola says his team did not lose the 2026 MotoGP championship, insisting that Marc Marquez won it on the Ducati. Marquez is on the verge of his 10th motorcycle world title and eighth in MotoGP, having had his first match point in Qatar.

Marquez won Saturday's sprint in Losail and finished second on Sunday. He could clinch the title in Portimao by winning the sprint, needing only to outscore Jorge Martin by two points, while a top-nine finish would eliminate Marco Bezzecchi, who is 74 points behind with 74 still available.

Asked who was most responsible for the outcome, Rivola praised Marquez, saying: "Marc Marquez won it. Honestly, he was the deciding factor." He also expressed regret that Aprilia, which had its best-ever premier-class season, could not win the riders' championship.