MotoGP, Catalonia J3, Alex Marquez (Ducati/7): "I do not assume the role of second driver, Marc used my reference because I was the faster of the two in Q1"

Alex Marquez, Gresini Ducati rider, did his best at the Barcelona-Catalonia Circuit, going from 13th to 7th place in the MotoGP race. Although he finished 14th in the sprint race after a collision, the younger Marquez was able to capitalize on his good feelings throughout the weekend to obtain a more satisfactory result on Sunday.

« I had good feelings all weekend and Sunday's result reflects that, " said Alex Marquez. " I suffered a little at the start of the race, perhaps also because mentally I didn't want to destroy soft tires especially in the fights with Enea and Brad. It's good, but it is obvious that there is something more to be found on Friday from Mugello."

Just like his brother and teammate Marc Marquez, Alex opted for the bold choice of the soft rear tire. Unlike Marc, this decision had been taken the day before after careful analysis of the data. “ After analyzing the data which allowed us to estimate tire wear, it was clear to us that we would probably be the only ones who could keep the soft rear tire alive for the entire distance of the race,” Alex explained.

**Alex Marquez: “ the GP23 is fundamentally more complex than the GP22 »**

The strategy ofAlex Marquez was to attack hard in the first laps to gain as many positions as possible before managing tire wear for the rest of the race. This approach paid off, allowing him to remain in the top 10.

Asked about possible improvements to the Ducati Desmosedici GP23, Alex Marquez highlighted the challenges associated with the complexity of the bike compared to the previous GP22. “ The GP23 is fundamentally more complex. All other teams are improving too, which makes our situation more difficult. But the potential is there if we put all the basic elements together correctly,” he said.

As for questions about his role on the team, especially regarding qualifying tactics with his brother Marc, Alex was clear: “ I did not take on the role of second pilot. I had more speed and didn't need to rely on another driver to set my lap time. Marc used my reference because I was the faster of the two in Q1, there is nothing more to say about it."

Alex Marquez remains focused on his performance and the continuous improvement of his bike. With challenges ahead and rumors surrounding the 2025 driver market, he is determined to prove his worth on the track.