– Eleven Grands Prix have been completed in the 2026 MotoGP season, and the fight for the world championship is more open than ever before. There are only 24 points separating the championship leader Jorge Martin and the fifth-placed Fabio Di Giannantonio.
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A look into the history books shows: The top field in the premier class has never been this close after eleven Grands Prix since the beginning of the modern MotoGP era in 2002.
A graphic published by MotoGP illustrates the exceptional situation. Since 2002, there has been no season after eleven race weekends where the top 5 in the riders’ standings had a smaller points gap.
Only in the Corona year was it similarly close
With only 24 points, the 2026 season even undercuts the previous best from 2020. Back then, the gap between the championship leader and the fifth place after eleven Grands Prix was 28 points. However, that season was heavily shortened and marked by extraordinary conditions due to the pandemic.
Following are the 2017 season with 35 points as well as 2022 (67) and 2006 (68) with almost three times as many points as in the current season. The fact that the current value is significantly lower underlines how open the title fight in 2026 has been so far.
What is remarkable is not only the record itself but also the contrast to the previous year. In 2025, after the same point in the season, an incredible 205 points separated first and fifth place. It was by far the largest gap in the entire MotoGP era. Within just one season, the picture has completely changed: from the most one-sided title fight of the past 25 years to the closest.
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A look at history also makes clear how unusual the current constellation is. In the early years of MotoGP, Valentino Rossi in particular regularly ensured with his dominance that the field spread out early.
After eleven Grands Prix, the gap between the championship leader and fifth place was already 146 points in 2005, 145 in 2014, and still 140 points in 2002. Also in 2010 (137), 2024 (136), 2003 (131), and 2019 (127), the top was significantly more spread out than it is today.
What makes the year 2026 so special?
The fact that the record falls precisely at a time when significantly more championship points per weekend are awarded through sprint and main races than a few years ago makes it all the more remarkable. Despite the higher points yield, the top field has come closer together than ever before.
The second half of the 2026 season promises high tension. With Jorge Martin (208 points), Ai Ogura (194), Marc Marquez (190), Marco Bezzecchi (186), and Fabio Di Giannantonio (184), five riders are within striking distance.
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Since up to 37 championship points are now awarded during a Grand Prix weekend, the order at the top can completely change within a few days.
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