u/NotAlainDelon

Jorge Martin became World Champion in 2024. Martin was unable to defend his title in 2025, with his season disrupted by injuries and uncertainty surrounding his future.

Now competing with Aprilia in 2026, Jorge Martin has once again placed himself in championship contention. However, Martin admits that his mindset has shifted after already achieving his career goal.

As Martin told.

"My ambition and my drive haven’t changed because I still want to be just as competitive. That doesn’t change a thing. It’s clear that competing now that I’ve already won a world title does change the pressure, because I’ve already achieved my dream,

I’ve already got what I wanted, and now I want to do it again, but I no longer have that sense of urgency. Perhaps without that hunger, I can ride in a more natural way, and that could work in my favour later on."

Quote Source_/motosan.es/motogp-entrevista/exclusiva-jorge-martin-mi-ambicion-de-ser-campeon-no-ha-cambiado-pero-ya-no-tengo-esa-necesidad/

The 2026 Moto America season officially got underway at Road Atlanta, and it was in the Supersport class that a familiar name from the moto gp paddock made an immediate impact.

Former moto gp rider Darryn Binder made his debut in the series after competing in moto 2 last season with Gresini Racing. Binder, who also raced for RNF Team in 2022, was unable to secure a seat for 2026 and instead switched to the US-based championship a move that paid off immediately.

Brad Binder dominated the opening race of the season, taking the lead on the very first lap and controlling the race all the way to the finish to secure victory on debut.

Source_/motorsportsnewswire.com/2026/04/19/binder-brings-home-first-motoamerica-supersport-win/

It was once again Nicolo Bulega who dominated the race weekend at TT Circuit Assen in 2026. Bulega secured victories in all three races, finishing ahead of teammate Iker Lecuona and Sam Lowes in all events.

With his latest win, Nicolo Bulega has now equalled the record of Toprak Razgatlioglu, reaching an impressive total of thirteen consecutive victories in Superbike World Championship.

Nicolo Bulega acknowledged the significance of the achievement but made it clear that his focus is on going even further and setting a new benchmark.

As Bulega said.

"I’m in a good situation, I have a good mentality now, I know I can be fast in any conditions. When you win 13 in a row, it gives you a lot of motivation for the races to come; it’s been good for my head. The ‘era of Bulega’ sounds good. I think we’re in a good era right now. I can ride my bike well because my team is listening to my feedback, which is allowing us to improve session by session. This is the result of hard work from me, and from Ducati."

Quote Source_/crash.net/wsbk/news/1093226/1/nicolo-bulega-declares-worldsbk-good-era-he-equals-razgatlioglu-record

The concessions system in moto gp was significantly revamped for the 2024 season, introducing a tiered structure that classifies manufacturers based on performance. Under this system, top-performing manufacturers receive fewer technical and testing benefits, while struggling manufacturers are granted greater concessions to close the gap.

With the arrival of the new 2027 technical regulations, the system will effectively be reset. All manufacturers will initially be placed into Rank B, a category that is currently empty under the existing structure. Manufacturers will be reclassified during the season with further adjustments taking place again after the season concludes.

While the core philosophy of the concessions system remains unchanged, provisions are in place for new entrants. Any new manufacturer joining the championship would be placed directly into Rank D. The most advantageous tier, granting maximum development and testing support to accelerate competitiveness. At present, however, there are no confirmed plans for a new manufacturer to enter the grid.

Source_/motorsport.com/motogp/news/motogp-concession-system-2027-explained/10813388/

Back to back world sbk champion Toprak Razgatlioglu made one of the most anticipated moves of recent years by stepping up to moto gp for the 2026 season.

Toprak Razgatliogliu has faced a demanding adaptation period, needing to significantly adjust his riding style to suit Michelin tyres and carbon brakes. Both very different from the equipment used in WorldSBK.

Despite the early learning phase, former WorldSBK rider Chaz Davies believes Toprak Razgatlioglu will emerge as Yamaha’s strongest rider by the middle of the season.

As Davies said.

"Last year, I made a bold prediction: By the halfway point of the season, Toprak perhaps not in every single race, but overall would be the benchmark at Yamaha. I didn’t say this publicly, but I did talk to a few people about it, and my intention was to convey just how highly I rate him.

Fabio is an incredibly talented rider all Moto GP riders are. But I think Toprak will figure out what needs to be done. Or rather, he’s already figured it out to some extent. Yes, he’s struggling because Yamaha is struggling. But he needs to compare himself to the other Yamaha's.

It’ll take a while before he consistently becomes the best Yamaha rider. He still has a few tracks to learn, after all. But next year, we’ll see the best of Toprak with tires whose DNA he knows. I don’t think they’ll bring Superbike tires, but the riders will feel that they’re Pirelli tires."

Quote Source_/speedweek.com/a/motogp/chaz-davies-prophezeit-toprak-ab-saisonmitte-konstant-bester-yamaha-pilot

It became clear to many observers that major changes would follow after moto gp was acquired by new commercial owners. The championship has increasingly shifted toward commercial growth and global promotion, moving beyond its original purpose of primarily supporting motorcycle sales.

Large corporations are already becoming more involved in the sport, and more investment is expected in the coming years. However, according to Justin Marks, owner of Trackhouse Racing, many major companies still struggle to fully understand what moto gp represents.

Marks believes the current promoters are doing a strong job expanding the series’ global reach, but says awareness among corporate partners remains a major challenge.

As Marks explained.

"A lot of it comes down to brand recognition. When we talk to large companies about Nascar or Formula One, they know exactly what they are. In Moto GP, people often say, 'Explain it to me.' The problem is that large corporations still don’t fully understand just how fascinating and inspiring this sport is.

It’s about raising awareness within the corporate world. We already have brands like Red Bull and Monster, but there’s still so much more potential. The difference compared to Formula One is that companies simply aren’t as familiar with Moto GP yet."

Quote Source_/motorsport-total.com/motogp/news/marks-fordert-mehr-engagement-viele-verstehen-die-motogp-noch-nicht-26041402

The tyre pressure regulation in the moto gp has become one of the most controversial technical rules in recent seasons. While minimum pressures technically existed in the past, enforcement was often inconsistent, with riders frequently running lower pressures to gain additional grip and performance.

After the media discovered widespread non-compliance, the rule was tightened significantly. Since then, several riders have lost podium finishes or had race results altered due to pressure infringements.

KTM Dierctor Pit Beirer has strongly criticised the regulation, describing it as fundamentally flawed and calling for immediate changes.

As Beirer explained.

"The rule is simply absurd. I strongly advocated for tyre pressure to be checked on the starting grid... It's the same for everyone. The [lap percentage] tyre pressure rule is absurd because it has nothing to do with cheating. If you build in enough reserve [to your starting pressure] to stay above the limit, but then find yourself in the slipstream of another rider, the pressure skyrockets and the bike becomes unrideable.

But if you're riding alone at the front, the pressure suddenly drops. We're not in the same situation as Marc Marquez last year, who could reasonably assume he'd be riding alone at the front and set everything up accordingly. Sometimes we're fighting in the middle of the pack, then suddenly you have kilometres where you're alone and the pressure drops.

This rule definitely needs to be changed or abolished. The fact that something like this decides races is simply appalling. You gain neither an advantage nor a disadvantage from 0.03 bar of tyre pressure. It's complete nonsense, because it says nothing about whether someone did a good or bad job."

Quote Source_/crash.net/motogp/news/1092994/1/motogp-tyre-pressure-rule-absurd-must-be-changed-or-abolished

Alex Marquez enjoyed a magnificent 2025 season, finishing as runner-up behind his brother Marc. However, the 2026 campaign has proven more challenging so far, as Marquez has been unable to replicate last year’s level of performance.

Alex Marquez himself shares this assessment and acknowledges that improvements are needed. Marquez understands that progress is a gradual process and cannot happen overnight.

As Marquez explained.

"The start of the season hasn’t been easy for us at all. You always have to approach the first few races of the season with caution, trying to work out where we stand. I think that moment will only come after five or six races, when everything is in place. Perhaps we’re not as strong as last year, but we’re working hard and we know what needs improving."

Quote Source_/motosprint.it/news/motomondiale/moto-gp/2026/04/10-8730462/motogp_lex_mrquez_ammette_forse_non_siamo_forti_come_lo_scorso_anno

Yamaha’s headquarters are located in Japan, but the company also maintains a major European base in Italy. The European headquarters traditionally serve as the operational center for Yamaha’s world sbk and moto gp teams, as both championships are based in Europe. However, most key decisions are still made in Japan.

Yamaha head engineer Max Bartolini believes cooperation between Japan and Europe must be further optimized to achieve maximum performance. According to him, keeping all operations centralized in Japan is not always the most effective approach.

As Bartolini explained.

"It’s difficult when departments based on opposite sides of the world have to work together. We still have room for improvement in that area. When it comes to philosophy, Europeans and Japanese are very similar in certain respects, yet in others they are worlds apart. The good thing about Yamaha is that they now approach many things with a global perspective, not just motor racing.

I believe that Yamaha will see itself even more as a global company in the future. It has always been the case that they. They have always been the most forward-thinking Japanese company, establishing branches in other countries at an early stage. They realise that keeping everything in Japan isn’t the best approach."

Quote Source_/speedweek.com/a/motogp/yamaha-v4-motogp-philosophie-japan

Nicolo Bulega is currently dominating the 2026 world sbk season and is well on course to challenge for the world title. At the same time, attention is increasingly turning toward his future. Which could potentially include a move to moto gp.

Nicolo Bulega has been heavily linked with a promotion to moto gp with Ducati, the manufacturer that has him currently under contract. However, Ducati has yet to make a final decision regarding Bulega’s long-term plans. With the rider market beginning to move, reports suggest Bulega has also opened discussions with Trackhouse Aprilia.

When asked about the speculation surrounding his future, Nicolo Bulega remained cautious but admitted that racing in moto gp remains his ultimate ambition.

As Bulega told.

"Honestly at the moment [I can’t tell you] anything more, because we are just waiting to see [what happens with] the big names in Moto GP. But my dream is always, since when I was a kid, to go to Moto GP, like every rider.

At the moment I'm very, very happy here in World Superbike, but the dream is still the dream. So we are talking with some teams in Moto GP, with my manager, and we will see very soon what I will do next year."

Quote Source_/crash.net/motogp/news/1093029/1/nicolo-bulega-my-dream-motogp-were-talking-amid-2027-rumours