At the Spanish MotoGP, the question arose whether Alex Marquez deserves a factory Ducati seat for the 2025 season. The coveted factory Ducati bikes are already held by his brother Marc Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia, contracts that last until the end of next year. Despite riding a year-old Ducati under the Gresini satellite team, Alex Marquez currently leads the 2025 MotoGP standings after five rounds, igniting a heated discussion about his potential promotion. Last weekend in Jerez, Alex claimed a remarkable victory following his brother’s crash, marking the second time this season Marc has suffered a costly fall from a race he appeared destined to win.
Alex Marquez’s consistency and reliability on less advanced machinery have allowed him to accumulate enough points to top the leaderboard, sparking intense debate about his value to Ducati. Asked by TNT Sports’ Suzi Perry whether the harsh paddock atmosphere could eventually push Ducati to consider Alex for the factory seat alongside Marc, Michael Laverty weighed in with a revealing insight.
Pecco is still not happy. [The Jerez test was] a big day for him,
Laverty said. He emphasized the strength of Alex’s current package while noting that Bagnaia requires upgrades to remain competitive, adding,
Pecco needs something to be able to fight.
Laverty further explained the delicate dynamics, saying,
He can perhaps accept Marc, as an eight-time champion, coming in and stealing the headlines. But for Alex to do it? That’s a bigger knife in the side for Pecco career-wise.
Bagnaia’s struggles were evident at Monday’s Jerez test, where he recorded only the 19th-fastest time. However, he reported making progress by re-testing parts previously used by Marc Marquez all season—components Bagnaia had removed during the pre-season Thailand test due to dissatisfaction. Although Bagnaia didn’t specify which parts these were, he expressed optimism about the changes, hoping they would fuel his challenge for the title as the championship moves to Le Mans.
Currently, Alex Marquez leads the MotoGP standings by a slim margin of one point over his brother Marc, and holds a significant 20-point advantage over Bagnaia. Laverty pointed out that Alex seems to have stepped out of Marc’s shadow, noting that while Marc was stronger when they were teammates, Alex’s style didn’t mesh well with the GP23 bike.
This year, the stars have aligned,
Laverty observed.
He has got the lead status in his team with Fermi Aldeguer, a rookie, alongside him. It’s a great squad around him, a family-run environment, and it has allowed him to flourish.
Despite his impressive form, Alex remains modest, reportedly not as aggressive against his brother as he is with others on the grid. Laverty describes him as ultra-aggressive elsewhere:
He’s a demon on the brakes. It’s all coming together for Alex career-wise.
Sylvain Guintoli added perspective on Alex’s performance given his older machinery, acknowledging the bike’s quality but emphasizing Alex’s ability to outperform riders on factory Ducs, including Bagnaia and Fabio di Giannantonio.
He is putting together a great campaign,
Guintoli said,
He was super fast on the GP24 as soon as he made the switch, and he hasn’t looked back.
Guintoli praised Alex’s daring approach, highlighting his risk-taking and aggressive race starts.
He had more pace than Bagnaia,
Guintoli stated, underlining how Alex shocked the paddock with his bold strategy and speed on the GP24 bike. His success on older machinery elevates the question of whether Ducati should reward him with a factory seat, challenging the established order within the team.
The ongoing debate around Alex Marquez’s factory Ducati seat is stirring intense emotions and tense speculation among fans, riders, and insiders alike. Should Ducati honor their current contracts, or will Alex’s impressive performances force a reevaluation? The situation underscores the brutal competitiveness of MotoGP, where even family ties and established reputations do not guarantee positions. As the season progresses and the championship tightens, the fate of Ducati’s factory lineup looks increasingly uncertain, with Alex Marquez’s future hanging in the balance.
