Marco Bezzecchi has won five consecutive MotoGP races and leads the 2026 championship with Aprilia now the reference bike ahead of Ducati. But his weakness is clear. He crashed out of the Sprint in both Thailand and Austin, leaving around 21 points on the table. That Sprint inconsistency could prove fatal to his title bid, just as it did for Bagnaia in 2024.
Nicolo Bulega topped FP1 at the TT Circuit Assen, the only man in the 1m33s as he led teammate Iker Lecuona by 0.256 seconds. Sam Lowes and Lorenzo Baldassarri completed an all-Ducati top four. Xavi Vierge was the first non-Ducati rider in fifth. Both BMW riders Danilo Petrucci and Miguel Oliveira crashed in the closing stages but walked away uninjured. Superpole is Saturday.
Amazon MGM Studios will begin filming its Isle of Man TT feature film at this year’s races, with Channing Tatum starring and Brad Pitt producing. Director Reid Carolin co-wrote the script alongside Jason Keller and Bryan Johnson. Irish actress Eve Hewson joins Tatum in the cast. TT 2026 runs from May 25 to June 6. Hollywood has found its next great motorsport story.
Aprilia’s MotoGP inspired X 250TH has sold out in just 14 days. The limited edition RSV4 special was revealed at the Austin MotoGP round, dressed in a stars and stripes livery to mark 250 years of American independence. Just 30 units were built. All gone in two weeks. The world’s first production bike with MotoGP spec carbon carbon brakes., and nobody could resist it.
Toprak Razgatlioglu says Jerez demands a completely different riding style to World Superbike, warning the Spanish round will be “very difficult.” The reigning WorldSBK champion scored his first MotoGP point at COTA, finishing 15th as top Yamaha, but all four M1s lost 25 seconds to race winner Marco Bezzecchi. Razgatlioglu admits his natural stop and go style does not suit the current MotoGP package.
Fabio Quartararo has told Yamaha he is stepping back from helping develop their 2026 V4 bike. The French rider revealed he is staying a “little bit out” of the development process as his frustration with the project grows. With his move to Honda confirmed for 2027, Quartararo says the extended break after the Qatar postponement will be good for him to switch off completely.
Brad Binder is running out of time in MotoGP. KTM boss Pit Beirer publicly declared Maverick Vinales his target for a second team leader role, a clear signal the factory no longer sees Binder as their man. The South African sits 12th in the 2026 standings with just 17 points after three rounds. His KTM contract expires at the end of this season.
Five time world champion Jorge Lorenzo believes Honda and Yamaha will return to MotoGP’s front row despite years of pain. The Japanese giants have not won a premier class title since 2021. Both sit at the bottom of the constructors standings. Lorenzo, now coaching Maverick Vinales at Tech3 KTM, pointed to Honda’s improved 2025 form as proof. “They always come back,” he said. “Because they have the power, the history, the budget.”
Southern 100 Racing is hosting its 2026 Media Launch on Saturday April 25 at the Civic Centre in Castletown, with major announcements, rider interviews and key updates for the Billown Course season ahead. The evening will include sponsorship announcements and official schedule confirmations for the Blackford Financial Services Pre-TT Classic races as well as the main Southern 100 event. Manx Radio will provide live coverage online and on AM 1368 for those unable to attend in person.
Banbridge rider Shaun Anderson has signed with Rico Penzkofer’s Penz13 team for TT 2026, switching from Suzuki to BMW machinery aboard the M1000RR. Anderson is a 130mph Club member with five top ten finishes and 28 top 20s on the Mountain Course. Penz13 are twice IRRC Superbike Champions and Superstock TT podium finishers. Anderson described it as the start of a new project with a new team and manufacturer.