Only a handful of riders in the modern MotoGP era have stitched together four Grand Prix wins back to back. It is rare in a championship that usually spreads the spoils. Yet Marco Bezzecchi, the opening leader of the 2026 season, has done it, joining an exclusive group normally reserved for the sport’s very biggest stars.

What happened

Bezzecchi combined his last two victories of 2025 in Portimao and Valencia with wins in Thailand and Brazil to make four straight GPs. He has not been flawless all weekend. Both Saturday sprints were poor, but on Sunday he left nothing to chance, pacing the race from flag to flag and taking full control of the championship lead. That run has turned him into the man to beat this season.

Italian legend Max Biaggi put it plainly, saying Bezzecchi will battle Aprilia for the title until the end. Few people now dispute that he is one of the favourites.

Joining the greats

Pulling off four straight Grand Prix wins is not a mark handed out lightly. Riders who have done it in the modern era include:

  • Valentino Rossi — he managed multiple long runs, including seven wins in a row in 2002 with Repsol Honda and dominant periods with Yamaha, including the run that led to his 2008 title.
  • Jorge Lorenzo — achieved a four-race streak in the intense 2015 season, winning from Jerez through to Barcelona on his Yamaha.
  • Pecco Bagnaia — produced similar sequences during his strong campaigns in 2022 and 2024.
  • Marc Márquez — already in that elite company, he not only did it early in his career but also put together an incredible seven straight Grand Prix victories in 2025 between Aragón and Hungary.

Bezzecchi’s run looks different in style, but it now sits alongside those historic sequences. That changes how rivals and pundits view him.

A nudge from Rossi

Part of Bezzecchi’s turnaround this season has been mental. His boss, Massimo Rivola, has encouraged big thinking, and Bezzecchi says he has also received direct support from Valentino Rossi, his former mentor.

"He wrote to me after the Friday when I was struggling. He helped me because he told me I was in full form, and it moved me a lot." Marco Bezzecchi

That message mattered. It is one thing to have speed, and another to turn a poor practice day into a race-winning weekend. Bezzecchi has shown he can do that, converting Friday problems into Sunday dominance.

What comes next

Bezzecchi’s riding on the RS-GP has a striking quality. He looks smoother and more confident than during his early days on a satellite Ducati. The combination of improved mental approach, team backing and outside advice has pushed him into title conversation.

Now the challenge is to keep it going. The next big test is at the Circuit of the Americas, territory that usually suits Marc Márquez. If Bezzecchi can extend his run there, the season could get very interesting very quickly.

Short takeaway: Bezzecchi is no longer a promising name. He is a clear contender, and a text from Rossi helped turn a struggling Friday into a historic streak.