At the 2023 Catalan Grand Prix in Barcelona, Alex Marquez bested his more experienced brother, six-time world champion Marc Marquez, marking a rare direct racing victory during the season. This remarkable achievement highlights Alex’s ability to overcome a dominant rival while showcasing his growth as a MotoGP competitor.
Throughout the season, Alex Marquez had been known mostly as the runner-up to his older brother, but he remains the only rider to have defeated Marc Marquez in a head-to-head race to the finish. Marc had multiple setbacks, including crashes in the US and Spanish Grands Prix and strategic errors in the rain-affected French round. Of the few occasions Marc lost direct duels, two stood out: the Silverstone sprint and the Catalan GP, with Alex victorious in both.
Alex’s Exceptional Performance at the Catalan GP
While Alex’s win at Silverstone was impressive, his victory in Barcelona carried even greater weight because Marc Marquez had been almost unbeatable since Ducati’s performance upgrades at Aragon. Combining his early season speed with newfound consistency, Marc had become a formidable opponent resistant to mistakes.
Despite this, Alex delivered an extraordinary qualifying lap that shattered previous records, placing him over a quarter of a second ahead of his nearest competitors. This level of performance was usually only matched by riders like Marc and Francesco Bagnaia at their best. Starting from pole, Alex had an excellent launch, but Marc braked later and took the lead immediately into the first corner. Unfazed, Alex fought back emphatically, reclaiming the lead on lap 4 at Turn 1.
Strategic Control and Tire Management in the Race
Once ahead, Alex adopted a strategy reminiscent of Marc’s style, controlling the race pace and carefully managing his tires to maintain strength through the closing laps. His ability to maintain swift lap times, exemplified by a 1m39.886s lap on the seventh circuit, gave him a comfortable cushion and demonstrated his race pace matched his qualifying speed.
The battle between the Marquez brothers saw the gap fluctuate, with KTM riders Pedro Acosta and Enea Bastianini pursuing them from third and fourth places. Bastianini made a notable pass on Acosta but lost time struggling to distance himself, unable to mount a serious challenge for the front runners.
Defending Against Late-Race Challenges
As the race neared its end, Marc Marquez pushed hard to use his characteristic late-race speed to close the gap, reducing it to just two-tenths of a second during a last-ditch effort. However, Alex exhibited strong composure, responding with a faster lap on the 20th circuit and extending his lead back to 0.8 seconds before ultimately crossing the finish line 1.7 seconds clear.
This victory marked only Alex Marquez’s second career premier class win, his first being his Spanish GP triumph at Jerez. Throughout the race, he maintained calmness and controlled his motorcycle confidently, even as Marc experienced challenging moments at Turns 7 and 10. Alex’s composed approach under pressure mirrored the traits fans expect from Marc, including a consistent pace and strategic riding that keeps rivals at bay.
Learning from Past Mistakes and Previous Successes
Earlier in the weekend, Alex had suffered a crash during the Silverstone sprint race while leading, an incident similar to those that have occasionally plagued Marc. Alex acknowledged that this mishap was an important learning moment that taught him the unforgiving nature of racing against his brother at the highest level.
The Catalan circuit has historically been a venue where Alex excelled. He claimed his second Moto3 win here in 2014 and took victories in the Moto2 class in 2017 and 2019. In contrast, Marc has experienced relatively limited success on this track compared to his usually dominant performances elsewhere, giving Alex a psychological edge going into the race.
Factors Influencing the Race Dynamics
The exclusion of other top contenders, such as Francesco Bagnaia—who won both Barcelona races last year—and Aprilia, altered the competition landscape. Jorge Martin explained that Aprilia’s historic advantage at the Catalan GP was neutralized by recent changes to the RS-GP aimed at improving versatility, leaving the team sidelined. This absence set the stage for a direct battle between the Marquez brothers for the lead positions.
“With neither Bagnaia nor Aprilia in the picture, the Marquez brothers were left to duel at the front” — Jorge Martin, MotoGP Rider
Without these rivals in contention, Alex’s consistency and race management secured him a well-earned victory over Marc, who was mentally prepared to accept a home race defeat as part of the family rivalry. The result celebrated the Marquez siblings’ shared success and underscored the competitive spirit between them on Spanish soil.
