No more Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island after 2026

Canelo Alvarez made a surprise Pro-Am appearance at LIV Golf Mexico City on Wednesday, adding star power to the build-up ahead of this week’s tournament. The boxing superstar showcased his golfing skills at Playa del Carmen, joining a star-studded field that included Mexican football legend Jorge Campos, ESPN journalist John Sutcliffe and content creators Karol Priscilla and Hoyzie.

 

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Alvarez, known for his passion for golf outside the ring, drew strong support from local fans, with his appearance adding to the festival atmosphere surrounding LIV Golf’s return to Mexico. The Pro-Am session served as a curtain-raiser for the main tournament, as LIV Golf resumes action following the conclusion of the 2026 Masters Tournament. After five rounds in the 2026 LIV Golf season, Ripper GC currently lead the team standings ahead of 4Aces GC and Crushers GC, while Legion XIII’s Jon Rahm sits atop the individual leaderboard.

 

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Aprilia have emerged as the early benchmark of the 2026 MotoGP season, with Marco Bezzecchi sweeping all three opening rounds in Thailand, Brazil and the United States. The 27-year-old Italian’s consistency, combined with a revitalised factory effort and strong support from Jorge Martín, has propelled Aprilia to the top of the riders’, teams' and constructors’ standings.

 

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In contrast, reigning Triple Crown champions Ducati have endured a difficult start, with Marc Márquez and the rest of its factory and satellite riders struggling to match Aprilia’s front-running pace. The shift is even more striking when compared to the same stage last season. Bezzecchi has gained 57 points relative to his 2025 tally after three rounds, the second-biggest improvement on the grid behind Martín (+77), who had scored no points at this stage last year due to injury. Meanwhile, Marc has dropped 41 points compared to 2025, with only Álex Márquez (-59) and Francesco Bagnaia (-50) experiencing steeper declines.

 

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With the European leg set to begin in Spain at the end of April, the question now is whether Ducati can respond or Aprilia’s early dominance will set the tone for the rest of the season. Below are how things have changed after the first three rounds compared to the 2025 season.

Riders' Standings: 2026 vs 2025

#	Rider	2026	2025	+/-
1	Marco Bezzecchi	81	24	57
2	Jorge Martín	77	0	77
3	Pedro Acosta	60	16	44
4	Fabio Di Giannantonio	50	44	6
5	Marc Márquez	45	86	-41
6	Raúl Fernández	40	5	35
7	Ai Ogura	37	25	12
8	Álex Márquez	28	87	-59
9	Francesco Bagnaia	25	75	-50
10	Luca Marini	23	20	3
11	Enea Bastianini	22	16	6
12	Brad Binder	17	19	-2
13	Franco Morbidelli	14	55	-41
14	Fermín Aldeguer	13	3	10
15	Johann Zarco	13	25	-12
16	Fabio Quartararo	6	16	-10
17	Álex Rins	3	10	-7
18	Joan Mir	3	10	-7
19	Jack Miller	0	19	-19
20	Maverick Viñales	0	6	-6

Teams' Standings: 2026 vs 2025

#	Team	2026	2025	+/-
1	Aprilia Racing	158	25	133
2	Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	77	35	42
3	Trackhouse MotoGP Team	77	30	47
4	Ducati Lenovo Team	70	161	-91
5	Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team	64	99	-35
6	BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP	41	90	-49
7	Honda HRC Castrol	26	30	-4
8	Red Bull KTM Tech3	22	22	0
9	LCR Honda	22	25	-3
10	Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team	9	26	-17
11	Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP	1	24	-23

Constructors' Standings: 2026 vs 2025

#	Constructor	2026	2025	+/-
1	Aprilia	101	33	68
2	Ducati	69	111	-42
3	KTM	65	34	31
4	Honda	28	36	-8
5	Yamaha	9	28	-19

Two-time Olympic gold medalist and world champion Viktor Axelsen called time on his badminton career on Wednesday. The 32-year-old made the announcement on his official social media platforms, citing his recurrent back issues as the main reason. “After undergoing endoscopic surgery, multiple injections, new training methods, treatments, and basically trying everything to become pain-free for a long time now, I have been advised to focus on my long-term health,” he wrote. “Accepting this situation has been incredibly difficult. But I have now reached a point where my body won’t allow me to continue.”

 

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Axelsen expressed pride in his achievements and reassured everyone that he will remain involved in the sport moving forward. “Looking back, I feel a deep sense of pride, but even more than that, gratitude,” he added. “I have accomplished everything I once dreamed of, and more. I’ve had the privilege of standing on the biggest stages, playing and winning the matches every player dreams of. “And through it all, badminton has taught me lessons that go far beyond sport, lessons about discipline, sacrifice, resilience, and who I am as a person. “While this is a goodbye to Viktor Axelsen the badminton player, I am not saying goodbye to the sport infinitely. I will always be around one way or the other. “I gave everything to badminton and badminton gave me everything back.” He also thanked everyone who was part of his journey including badminton fans. The Dane’s final BWF World Tour appearance came at the 2025 French Open, where he lost to Shi Yu Qi in the semi-finals. He also featured at the BXL Jakarta 2025, marking his last competitive outing before announcing his retirement. He became the latest high-profile player to step away from the badminton court this year after Carolina Marin.

 

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The Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) heads to the legendary TT Circuit Assen in the Netherlands from April 17-19 for the third round of the 2026 season, with several compelling storylines in focus. As the paddock prepares for the high-speed action, which you can watch live on SPOTV NOW, here are some key facts ahead of the Dutch Round.

 

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Three records in sight for Bulega

Nicolò Bulega has opened the season with six consecutive wins, closing in on Álvaro Bautista’s record of 11, set in 2019. Another hat-trick at the Cathedral of Speed would put him within touching distance of breaking that mark at the next round in Budapest. Including his four straight wins at the end of last season, the Italian is currently on a 10-race winning streak. That puts him within reach of Toprak Razgatlıoğlu’s record of 13 consecutive victories, which the Turkish rider achieved twice in 2024 and 2025. Bulega is also riding a streak of 19 consecutive podium finishes. Another strong weekend could see him climb further up the all-time list and move closer to Jonathan Rea (24), Colin Edwards (25) and Razgatlıoğlu (25).

 

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Rea steps in again for Dixon

With Jake Dixon still sidelined through injury, Jonathan Rea will once again step in for Honda HRC to ride alongside Thai rider Somkiat Chantra. Assen has been a happy hunting ground for the six-time world champion, who holds a record 17 victories at the circuit, so he will surely be hoping it helps him improve on his previous outing in Portimão, where he managed just four points.

 

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Home rider to make WorldSBK debut

Despite the absence of Dutch rider Michael van der Mark, local fans will still have someone to cheer for as Twan Smits makes his WorldSBK debut as a wildcard. The 24-year-old, who has had prior experience at Assen through Supersport and Supersport 300 series, will line up for Team Apreco aboard a Yamaha YZF-R1.

 

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Moto4 Northern Cup revs up

The Moto4 Northern Cup kicks off its 2026 season at Assen as part of the support programme for WorldSBK. The junior series has served as a development platform for rising talents, including current Moto2 riders Collin Veijer and Filip Salač.

 

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