Braking Better

With Aragon, Phillip Island, and Valencia still to come, the data reveals who else thrives around anti-clockwise tracks

By Abhishek Ramesh

The 2026 MotoGP World Championship fight is so tight that there’s immense pressure on every rider to maximise points at tracks that suit them. Marc Márquez targeting the 37-point full monty at the remaining anti-clockwise circuits—Aragon, Phillip Island, and the Valencia finale—is taken for granted. But apart from the seven-time premier class champion, who else on the current grid thrives around go-left layouts?

Since the sprint era began in 2023, Marc has clearly been the extraordinary performer at anti-clockwise tracks, with an average qualifying position of fourth place. This rises to 6.56 at clockwise venues.

The only other current full-time rider who, on average, gains more qualifying positions at anti-clockwise tracks is Raul Fernandez with 3.71. It’s, however, important to note that the Trackhouse Aprilia man usually qualifies much lower, with an average grid slot of 12.74 overall.

Aprilia’s newest recruit for 2027, Pecco Bagnaia, provides for an interesting case study. On one hand, his qualifying performance shows the biggest drop-off at anti-clockwise tracks among everyone on the current lineup. At the same time, that average of 7.0 is also joint fourth-best overall, along with 2024 World Champion Jorge Martin.

Oddly enough, it is Alex Marquez who emerges as the grid’s second-best qualifier at left-turning tracks, boasting a 6.33 average grid position and a +1.28 improvement over his clockwise baseline. For a rider whose career-defining moments have largely come at clockwise strongholds like Jerez, Barcelona, and Sepang, this counter-clockwise surge is remarkable indeed. 

Pedro Acosta, who swaps KTM orange for factory Ducati red, stands out as the grid’s ultimate layout-agnostic qualifier. Averaging 6.93 on clockwise tracks and 6.80 when the circuit turns left, his execution exhibits a negligible +0.13 variance. This proves his sharpness over one flying lap is virtually immune to track geometry. 

But what’s true track mastery without actually accumulating points at the end of a race weekend? Again, Marc’s average return of 26.18 points per anti-clockwise round is in another stratosphere altogether.

Martin and Bagnaia occupy second and third places with 16.6 and 15.62 points, respectively. But that’s still about four points less than their average tallies at clockwise tracks.

Rookie sample size notwithstanding, LCR Honda’s Diogo Moreira nearly triples his points haul on anti-clockwise tracks, averaging 9.0 points per round versus just 3.33 on traditional clockwise layouts.

Raul Fernandez is the other big gainer. The 2025 Phillip Island Grand Prix winner scores almost double at turn-left tracks, averaging 9.85 points per round compared to just 5.33 elsewhere.

Pedro Acosta sits fourth overall in points-per-round output at go-left venues, trailing only Marc Marquez, Pecco Bagnaia, and Jorge Martin. But where Martin and Bagnaia suffer an anti-clockwise slump, Acosta thrives: his average climbs to 15.5 from 11.98 at clockwise tracks.

In fact, the only rider more right-hand-turn-biased than Martin and Bagnaia in terms of points lost on average is Maverick Vinales. The Tech3 KTM pilot’s average return at anti-clockwise circuits is a dismal 3.27, less than half of the 8.15 he scores at conventional go-right venues.

As the 2026 title fight enters its crucial second half, conquering anti-clockwise layouts is more than just a statistical curiosity. Layout anomalies will continue to test veterans like Bagnaia, Martin and Vinales. But the data also points to a deeper truth.

Riders with a dirt-track pedigree treat left-turning circuits not as a hurdle, but as a launchpad. Rising forces like Acosta will look to bridge the gap as they chase Marquez down the home stretch. Cracking the go-left code will be key when every single point counts.

Featured Image: Marc Márquez at Czech Motorcycle Grand Prix at Brno 2025 | Photo: Pavel21kriz via Wikimedia Commons