Marc Márquez acknowledged during Media Day that his chances for the 2024 MotoGP title are nearly over with only five rounds left. The Gresini Racing rider had made a strong late-season push with victories in Aragón and San Marino, but his recent engine failure in Indonesia has left him 78 points behind the leader.

“After the zero points in Indonesia, the gap is just too wide,” Márquez stated before the Japanese round. He admitted that while the title has been their goal for the past five races, it now seems out of reach, allowing him to focus on improving his performance.

Though Martín and Francesco Bagnaia are the leading contenders for the title, there’s still a battle for third place, currently held by Enea Bastianini, who is just three points ahead of Márquez. Bastianini also experienced a setback in Indonesia after crashing while trying to catch Martín. Márquez expressed his desire to focus on points and remain competitive.