Ducati’s Inside Ducati series captured a tearful Marc Marquez breaking down in the Le Mans garage, telling Gigi Dall’Igna and crew chief Marco Rigamonti he had kept his shoulder secret for months. A displaced screw from his 2019 Latarjet surgery was touching his radial nerve in the riding position. “I’m riding with one and a half arms,” he told his team through tears. Dall’Igna told him the body comes first and urged him to relax. Marquez replied: “I’ve already learned that.”

Defending Superbike winner Davey Todd has been declared medically unfit for the 2026 Isle of Man TT. Despite intensive rehabilitation in Italy following a major crash at the Daytona 200 in March, medical specialists concluded his injuries, including fractures to his femur and tibia, have not sufficiently recovered. A gutted Todd will now support his 8TEN Racing team from the sidelines. 

Francesco Bagnaia said Jorge Martin’s Le Mans comeback is admirable, pointing to the 21 fractures Martin suffered in 2025 and adding that having the strength to return to this level deserves the highest respect. The Italian said Martin is replicating the calm, consistent strategy that delivered him the 2024 world championship, and that he was visibly relaxed at dinner on Saturday night knowing he could win on Sunday.

Fabio Di Giannantonio has warned that while the 2026 Ducati is "great," it currently lacks the Sunday performance to halt Aprilia’s dominance. After finishing as the top Ducati in fourth at Le Mans, the VR46 rider highlighted that the GP26 struggles to maintain tire life compared to the RS-GP, which recently swept the French GP podium.

Honda HRC has confirmed Johann Zarco and six-time WorldSBK champion Jonathan Rea will join seven-time Suzuka winner Takumi Takahashi for the 2026 Suzuka 8 Hours on July 5, targeting a fifth consecutive victory at the Japanese circuit. Zarco targets a third straight win while Rea makes his first Suzuka appearance since 2022. Rea said there is no doubt about the potential of the Fireblade and that he will give everything to take victory alongside Takumi and Zarco.

Yamaha has confirmed its 2026 Suzuka 8 Hours lineup with the same trio from last year Jack Miller, Andrea Locatelli and Katsuyuki Nakasuga aboard the factory YZF-R1. It will be Nakasuga’s final Suzuka 8 Hours appearance before his retirement, adding extra motivation for the team to go one better than their 2025 runner-up finish. Honda counters with Johann Zarco going for a third consecutive win alongside Jonathan Rea and seven-time Suzuka winner Takumi Takahashi.

Pedro Acosta vowed revenge on Fabio Di Giannantonio after the VR46 rider passed him at the final corner of the last lap at Le Mans to take fourth place, appearing to look back at Acosta during the move. Acosta told Spanish media nobody gets past him while looking at him and they will see each other at the next race. Di Giannantonio said he had to improvise the move after his original plan at Turn 9 failed, calling it a deja vu from a Moto3 pass on Bezzecchi in 2018.

The 1996 Aprilia RS125R ridden by Valentino Rossi to his first ever Grand Prix victory at Brno is heading to auction via RM Sotheby’s Sealed platform, with bidding opening on May 13. The bike is presented in its original 1996 season livery bearing Rossi’s iconic number 46 and is accompanied by factory team sheets, ownership documents and a note from legendary Aprilia team manager Mauro Noccioli. Estimate: 100,000 to 150,000 euros. No reserve.