Метка: Alex Marquez

Alex Marquez would’ve ‘traded 42 podiums for one with Marc’ before German GP

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Gresini MotoGP rider Alex Marquez says he would have traded all his previous 42 grand prix podiums for the one he achieved in last weekend’s German Grand Prix with elder brother Marc.

Alex and Marc Marquez shared a podium in MotoGP for the first time in Sunday’s race at the Sachsenring after finishing third and second respectively behind race winner Francesco Bagnaia (factory Ducati team).

It was a landmark result for the Gresini duo, as no two siblings have stood together on the rostrum in the premier class since Nubautsu and Takuma Aoki in 1997 Imola Grand Prix. Much like the Marquez brothers, they were also riding for the same manufacturer — Honda — albeit for different teams.

The third-place finish for the younger Marquez marked his 43rd podium across all three classes and came just days after he signed a new two-year contract with Gresini that will keep him at the Italian squad until the end of the current rules cycle in 2026.

Speaking in the immediate aftermath of the race, the 28-year-old didn’t hide the fact that he has been dreaming about celebrating a double podium result with his brother for a very long time.

«It’s a strange feeling, we are very lucky in life, we have lived many happy days, many more than we could have imagined, days when we both won in different categories, or won the title in the same year,” said Alex Marquez, a one-time champion in both Moto3 and Moto2.

“This was the next dream, I had imagined it many, many times. I would change my forty-odd podiums I have in the World Championship for this one. It is much more special to be on a podium with your brother than the previous forty without him.

Mick Doohan, Nobuatsu Aoki and Takuma Aoki

Mick Doohan, Nobuatsu Aoki and Takuma Aoki

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

“I hope I can repeat it and if possible with a victory and a second place. But we know it will be difficult, so, as he said, we have to celebrate and enjoy the moment, because what the World Championship has taught me and being here, above all, is that what you have today, you don’t know if you’ll have tomorrow.”

A second-place at Sachsenring was equally special for the elder Marquez, especially after having broken a finger and bruised his ribs during a high-side crash on Friday at the start of the weekend.

But the 31-year-old warned that a repeat of the result is “impossible” in 2024, with their 2023-spec GP23 bikes looking increasingly weaker against the latest-spec Desmosedicis raced by the factory and Pramac teams.

The double podium in Germany was only made possible after Pramac’s Jorge Martin crashed out of the race with two laps to go while leading from Bagnaia.

“To share the podium with my brother, we will enjoy it a lot,” said the six-time champion. “This is a day we will never forget because it will be difficult to repeat in the future.

“Honestly speaking this season it will be impossible. Why? For me it’s difficult to be on the podium, for him it’s difficult to be on the podium. So to find the same Sunday on the podium was a bit unreal.

«But in a dry race, in a very fast race, [Alex]is a very talented rider and today he showed. «The fact that he already has two more years with Gresini, [it] feels more relaxed to him and this weekend he rode in a very good way.”

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Alex Marquez signs new two-year deal with Gresini MotoGP team

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Alex Marquez will remain with Gresini Racing until the end of the 2026 MotoGP season after inking a fresh two-year deal.

As revealed by Motorsport.com last week, the younger Marquez will see out the current MotoGP rules era with the satellite Ducati squad after a successful adaptation to the Desmosedici following his previous struggles on the Honda RC213V.

It remains unclear who will partner Marquez at Gresini in 2025, with brother and new-for-2024 team-mate Marc Marquez having been handed a promotion to the factory Ducati outfit beginning next year.

«Staying with Gresini was my main goal,” said Alex Marquez. 

“Since I joined this team, my target has been to consistently get close to the best, and it’s something I haven’t achieved yet. 

“The start of the season wasn’t what we hoped for, but the team is strong and I know where we can go. So, I just want to thank Nadia for the trust, and I’m sure we’ll soon repay her with some celebratory pineapple pizza.»

Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing

Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Marquez left the Honda camp after 2022 to join Gresini last year and scored a podium in only his second race weekend with the squad in Argentina. He would go on to add another rostrum to his tally near the end of the season in Malaysia, as well as two sprint wins at Silverstone and Sepang, to secure a career-best ninth in the championship.

Although Marquez hasn’t been able to claim a top-three spot so far this year on his year-old Ducati this year, partly due to the step the Borgo Panigale marque has made with the GP24, he has been inside the top 10 in every grand prix he has finished so far.

That has put him a respectable 10th in the standings ahead of this weekend’s German Grand Prix on 62 points, just behind the factory Aprilia of Aleix Espargaro.

Combined with elder brother Marc’s stellar start to the year, the Gresini squad sits a strong third in the teams’ championship, trailing only factory Ducati and Pramac outfits.

Nadia Padovani, Gresini Racing owner, said: «Alex is our pupil. Since he joined two years ago, the synergy between him and the team has been incredible and has strengthened with each race. 

“We know his potential; he has already shown it and just needs consistency. Renewing with him was an obvious move for us because we are aware of his value both on and off the track. 

“The results will come this year too, I am absolutely certain of it.»



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Alex Marquez to stay with Gresini Ducati for MotoGP 2025

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Gresini Racing, which has a 2025 contract with Ducati to remain one of its satellite teams, has reached an agreement with Alex Marquez to extend their partnership next season.

Marquez joined Gresini in 2023 from Honda, with which he made his premier class debut in 2020.

After a first year with the factory team, due to the premature retirement of Jorge Lorenzo, the 2019 Moto2 champion was transferred to the LCR team, where he spent two seasons until the end of 2022 and where he suffered extraordinarily from the competitive slump of the RC213V.

That lack of confidence with the bike led him to look for a way out, which led to his signing with Gresini, with which he made his debut at the 2023 Portuguese GP with an encouraging fifth position, sharing the box that season with Italian Fabio Di Giannantonio, riding year-old machinery.

After two podiums in his first season with Gresini, as well as two victories in Sprint races (Great Britain and Malaysia), Marquez has welcomed his brother Marc Marquez as team-mate this year — both inheriting the Desmosedici GP23 from last year.

Turning 28 earlier this year, Alex Marquez, who came to the world championship in 2012, was Moto3 champion in 2014, and Moto2 champion in 2019.

This opened the door for a MotoGP step with Honda, which promoted him to the premier class in 2020, where he achieved podiums at the Le Mans and Aragon races.

Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing

Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

With Marquez’s renewal, Gresini closes half of its rider line-up following the news earlier this month that his older brother will move to the factory Ducati team in 2025.

An official announcement is expected soon.

The 2025 grid is now shaping up quickly following Ducati’s announcement that it will field Marc Marquez in its factory squad, with Jorge Martin moving to Aprilia alongside Marco Bezzecchi.

Maverick Vinales will leave Aprilia for Tech3 KTM, joining Enea Bastianini, while the Austrian marque had already confirmed Pedro Acosta’s promotion to its factory squad next season alongside Brad Binder.

Double world champion Francesco Bagnaia signed a new Ducati deal prior to the start of the season, while Yamaha locked Fabio Quartararo down for two more seasons earlier this year.

Coming into the year, Honda already had Luca Marini and Johann Zarco on contracts through to the end of 2025, while Joan Mir looks set to stick with HRC beyond this year.

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Bagnaia penalised for Alex Marquez incident in Mugello MotoGP practice

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


In the closing stages of second practice at Mugello on Friday afternoon, Gresini’s Marquez was forced to abort a flying lap when he came across a slow Bagnaia on the approach to Turn 12.

Marquez was enraged by this and vented his frustrations to Bagnaia on his bike as the pair rounded the corner.

Both riders secured a place directly into Saturday’s Q2 qualifying, with Bagnaia leading second practice.

However, he will be forced to drop three places on the grid for Sunday’s Italian GP at Mugello. The penalty will not apply for the sprint.

Prior to the penalty, Bagnaia says he saw no blue flags warning him of Marquez approaching behind and feels the Gresini rider’s actions were typical.

“Yeah, like always,” he said of Marquez’s outburst.

“I was, first of all, without blue flags. And then I was out of the line, I braked more in front to be out and like always he’s a good showman.

“So, he did this kind of gesturing on his bike. Like always.”

For his part, Marquez says he was being held up by Bagnaia from the second sector of that lap.

“Well, I was coming on a hot lap, improving my lap times,” Marquez said. “I saw Pecco in front from sector two being really slow in the middle of the track.

“I was expecting him to watch behind to see me, but he never did it. Going into Turn 12 he was completely in the middle of the line, on the racing line.

“I was able to avoid him, but I had to cut the throttle. So, for me, it’s quite clear what happened.”

When it was put to him that Bagnaia felt he overreacted, Marquez added: “He also said he was out of the line. And it’s not true.

“So, I will not say any more. He knows what happened, I know what happened. So, that’s it.”

If Bagnaia is found guilty of irresponsible riding by the FIM stewards, he could be facing a grid penalty for Sunday’s grand prix.

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