Alex Marquez doesn’t see GP26 ride as audition for factory Ducati seat

Alex Marquez says riding the Ducati GP26 will serve as a test of his own performance in MotoGP rather than an audition for a factory team seat in 2027.

Ducati will increase the supply of factory bikes from three to four next year, with the Spaniard set to get the same equipment as official riders Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia, plus VR46’s Fabio di Giannantonio.

Alex Marquez has had to do with year-old machinery ever since he joined Gresini in 2023, but his impressive performances on the GP24 this year have prompted Ducati to upgrade him to the latest-spec bike.

The Spaniard is seen as a potential candidate for a factory Ducati ride in 2027, and moving him to the GP26 allows the Borgo Panigale marque to directly compare his speed with other riders.

However, the 29-year-old said he doesn’t consider the 2026 season as an evaluation test, but an opportunity for him to showcase his talent on the best available bike.

“No, I don’t see it that way [as an evaluation]. I see it more as a test for myself. It’s about getting the most you can out of your garage, so there’s no doubt about what might have happened [with the latest bike],” Marquez said in a press conference in Madrid.

“And honestly, this doesn’t make me more nervous, but rather gives me peace of mind.”

Marquez rider sealed second position in the riders’ championship at the Malaysian Grand Prix last week, having built an unassailable lead over Marco Bezzecchi and Bagnaia with two rounds to spare.

It marked a major milestone for Marquez, who hadn’t won a race or finished higher than eighth in the standings prior to the 2025 season.

While the Spaniard won the Moto3 title in just his sophomore campaign in 2013 and replicated that feat in Moto2 six years later, he endured a far tougher path upon stepping up to MotoGP.

Marquez was even at the risk of dropping out of MotoGP after a bruising two-year stint at LCR, but he rebuilt himself after moving to Gresini in 2023 — and made another step forward this year on the GP24 that dominated the 2024 season.

While the 29-year-old joked that he was “the first of the losers” this year, the runner-up spot carries a special meaning, both for his recovery from earlier struggles and because his brother Marc claimed the title.

Asked how his second-place finish compared with his title-winning seasons in the lower classes, Marquez said: “It’s similar. It’s similar because it’s a second place, but it’s not a normal second place for me. 

“My way in MotoGP was not easy. I started in 2020 in a really good way with two podiums, being a rookie in Repsol Honda, but later on, I moved to LCR and I suffered there for two years. I was nearly at home in 2023.

“Just a piece of luck or something like that I had the opportunity at Gresini [after LCR]. For that reason, it’s really special. 

“I’m second, I’m the first of the losers. But the winner is my brother, so it’s a different way, a different feeling. 

“It was a perfect thing. It’s special from the way that we are coming from the place that we are coming from. For that reason, it’s a really good second place.”

Having secured the runner-up position, Marquez’s next goal must be to fight for the title in 2026, but to achieve that target he will have to beat his brother, Marc.

“I’ll never say Marc is unbeatable, but it’s very difficult,” he said. “The pressure he puts you under, always pushing to the limit from the first lap on Friday.

“It’s hard to accept; the difficult thing is having the precision he has. Nobody is unbeatable, but beating him in 22 races is very difficult.”

Although both have ridden exceptionally well this year, the younger Marquez believes it is possible to make further progress by blending their styles.

“I lack Marc’s explosiveness and he lacks the composure I have,” he explained. “We’ve both improved, but I envy Marc’s explosiveness more than his composure; it’s what has given Marc more titles.

“I’m going to continue being the same. And if I do change, I hope they give me a little nudge.”

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— The Motorsport.com Team