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The Marquez brothers went out together in public in Madrid for the first time as teammates on the Gresini team during an event organized by the sponsor, Estrella Galicia, as they wait to get back in action for the Sepang tests in early February. It was somehow a throwback to the past, because Alex and Marc had already been teammates in 2020 for Honda.
“I see it as a second chance,” Alex explained. “The situation is now very different. Then, I was a rookie, and Marc was fighting for the championship. I think I can now take advantage of having a partner as strong as Marc. There’s strength in numbers. In my experience in the Moto3 and Moto2, I achieved better results when I had a good relationship with my teammate. If both riders are working in the same direction, it’s usually very beneficial. Marc’s arrival is positive for me and for the whole team.”
The youngest of the Marquez brothers also revealed a funny anecdote from the past: “When I arrived in Honda, Marc continued bothering me, so I told him to leave me alone,” he confessed. “Having him now on the team is special, because he’s my brother. I have direct information and, like I said, there’s strength in numbers. I have to take advantage of that. Also, we understand each other on the fly, and I can bring Marc peace of mind.”
Alex has no doubt that, Marc will go back to being the one we all know when on the Ducati.
“You can expect anything from him,” he said. “It’s evident that he hasn’t lost his magic. He asked me a thousand times if he’ll be able to adapt well to Ducati, but he’s still at the level he was in 2019. You can see that when we train together. It’s not easy to adapt to a new bike. There will be difficult times, and we’ll have to suffer but, if there’s anyone capable of suffering, it’s him. I see he’s capable of anything.”
Alex will also have to prove what he's worth. Last year, on Ducati, he proved he could be competitive, winning two Sprints and climbing on the podium twice on Sunday.
“I have to keep progressing,” he stated. “I ended last year really well, and I have to start this one just as well. However, this isn’t the time to create expectations. It’s very early, and it’s wiser to keep a low profile. I want to improve my steadiness and be more solid. If I keep working like I am now, I think the Sunday when I win will come.”
The competition will certainly be numerous, starting with Ducati. Having so many fast riders on the same track can be good but also bad, especially when sharing data.
“It’s an advantage and a disadvantage at the same time. You have a lot of information, but you can also get confused,” Marquez stated. “I’ve always used Bagnaia and Martin as a reference. They have different riding styles, and you have to understand what they’ll do.”
