MotoGP, Alex Barros is blunt: "With a GP24, Marc Marquez would have won the championship last year"

The wisest among you will surely remember Alex Barros, an iconic rider of the 1990s and 2000s, known for his longevity and the difficulty his rivals had in overtaking him. The former Honda factory rider speaks today about the Marc Marquez case, and claims that the latter could have triumphed over Bagnaia and Martin if he had benefited from the same material in 2024. The Brazilian also discussed the absence of the "Martinator" and Honda's progress in a very interesting interview.

Barros was an excellent rider, now underrated in many ways. A five-time fourth-place finisher in the premier class, he won seven races at the highest level. He was asked for his opinion on Marc Marquez's start to the season, and for him, it's absolutely no surprise: « Today's Marc Marquez is much better than the one before. In his MotoGP debut, he won almost every race, but he hadn't experienced all the difficulties that came later. After what he went through, he's mentally stronger. Nothing will affect him psychologically » he asserted for Motosan.

 

 

On Ducati, he was already very strong last year despite using a 2023 model. « If Marc Marquez had a GP24 in 2024, he would surely have won the championship, even if he was in a satellite team. It's not all about the bike: if you don't have the right mindset, it doesn't work." he added. Barros, however, regrets not seeing the reigning World Champion defend his crown: "Martin is a better driver than Bezzecchi. If he hadn't been injured, he might be there, alongside Alex Marquez and in front of Pecco Bagnaia. I'm not saying he would beat Marc, but he wouldn't be far off." he added.

Honda has a special place in Alex Barros' heart; after making his debut in 1995 with Kanemoto Honda in the 500cc class, he competed for nine more seasons for the winged company, whether for the official Repsol team (in 2004), for Gresini (1997-1998) and, of course, for Pons Racing, where he was stronger than anywhere else (1999-2002/2005). He had a few words for the company with the golden wing: "The Honda didn't make the leap we expected, but it improved a lot. It's not at the level of the Ducati but with time it can become really competitive" he concluded.

Do you think, like Alex Barros, that Marc Marquez could have won the 2024 title with a Desmosedici GP24? Tell us in the comments!

 

 

Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport