Let's talk MotoGP: The burning question, can Alex Marquez repeat the feat?

It's prediction time! Every season, this column tries to guess what will happen in the coming months, focusing on all the riders in the category. Then, at the end of each article, the author will make a prediction, but will also welcome yours in the comments! Today, it's time to talk about Alex Marquez.

Yesterday, we revisited the case of Diogo Moreira; click here to find the article in question.

 

Great expectations

 

Okay, for the first time since the start of this retrospective, I'm tackling one of the big fish of the championship. In 2025, Alex Marquez totally broke through, exploded onto the scene, even, reaching second place overall – and it wasn't even close. From start to finish, he was the second or third strongest rider, but never beyond. It was very impressive; Click here if you want to find an article that looks back on his past campaign.Inevitably, this 2025 exercise raises expectations for him, that's the rule. If he were to finish outside the top 4, it would be seen as a disappointment.

 

 

So, what can we expect from him in 2026? Well, honestly, I'm quite optimistic about him. Alex Marquez has a lot of very interesting qualities, starting with his consistency, matched only by his brother's on the grid. We now know that the Spaniard is capable of maintaining his position in 22 Grands Prix. And that's a significant advantage compared to Marco Bezzecchi or Pedro Acosta.who, for their part, have not yet unlocked this success.

I could also mention his lap speed, although I'd like to see him on pole position more often. He usually starts at the front, and that helps enormously these days, especially in his case – we'll come back to that – so this weakness is mitigated. Alex Marquez is on a good run of form, and, what's more, he'll benefit from the Ducati Desmosedici GP26, which means he won't have to go through the disconcerting GP25 stage, all in what I consider to be the best team in the championship. This is an ideal situation; he is in the right conditions to have a year at least as good as the previous one.

 

A ceiling reached?

 

Now that all that's been said, I can't help but express some doubts about him. First of all, wouldn't he have reached his peak by 2025? It's true, before this crazy campaign, he had stagnated, or even disappointed, since his arrival in MotoGP That was six years ago. He progressed almost overnight, but could he really do better? What would that mean? Winning the title?

That's the complexity of his situation, because no, I don't think he'll be crowned champion at the end of the year. Alex Marquez, in 2025, maximized all his results and sometimes had some luck. and escaped serious injury despite a highly aggressive style. – and sometimes dangerous. He only really squandered one or two opportunities, which is very few, and not really in his nature – from what we had seen in previous years.

So I get the impression that 2025 represented its ceiling. I could be wrong. If that's the case, then he would be a world champion caliber driver.

 

Defects that can be costly

 

Alex Marquez isn't a perfect rider, and that's perfectly normal. The first weakness concerns his mental state. Last year, I vividly remember his interview from Sunday evening in Thailand, after only the first Grand Prix. where he stated that he did not think he would fight for the title against his brotherMarc's dominance seems to have demotivated him somewhat, and this was particularly noticeable when he was behind him on the track. While Alex Marquez is usually one of the most aggressive riders, certain situations clearly showed – notably during the Sprint at Assen – that he was quite docile behind the factory Ducati rider. Similarly, I confess I struggle to understand the point of celebrating second place in the championship with a special livery on the bike in Valencia. If I remember correctly, I don't think I've ever seen that before, and I sincerely doubt he would have done it if the winner of said title hadn't been Marc. I'd really like to know what Alex Marquez is aiming for. Does he want the championship? Is he hungry enough? That's not the impression it gave.

 

 

Secondly, his style. Frankly, say what you will, but sometimes Alex goes too far. Every time he overtakes, or almost every time, it's messy, it's choppy, and often there's contact. Two instances in 2025 were completely unworthy of his talent: that horrible maneuver on Di Giannantonio in Qatar – race control was actually very lenient, and this cut-out by Joan Mir in BrnoMoreover, when he doesn't quickly push to the front, Alex Marquez often struggles in traffic. This was the case in Qatar, at Assen, but also at Le Mans, in the rain, where he struggled to make a difference.

I think the two weaknesses mentioned above will prevent it from moving to the next level. that is to say, to that of a candidate for the world title in MotoGP.

 

Time for the prediction!

 

I'm fairly optimistic about Alex Marquez, but at the same time, I don't think he'll be able to do better than in 2025. I tend to imagine much fiercer competition than last year, with, without giving anything away, a better bagnaia, A voucher Martin, Aldeguer more experienced – if he recovers from his injury! – and, above all, a Bezzecchi Strong from the start. Towards the very end of the season, the official Aprilia rider was quite clearly superior; he's the one who will cause him the most problems in my opinion.

In terms of the standings, I imagine Alex Marquez finishing between the 3e et 5e General's position: a perfectly acceptable result. honored, even. However, I sincerely hope he will avoid a visit to the infirmary, because at a time when it has never been easier to get injured, he is certainly one of the pilots who plays with fire the most.

Do you think I'm completely wrong about Alex Marquez? Tell me in the comments!

As a reminder, this article only reflects the thoughts of its author, and not of the entire editorial team.

 

 

Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport