Gresini Ducati rider Alex Marquez faced ongoing difficulties during Saturday’s MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix sprint, finishing in 10th place due to challenges lingering from his struggles on Friday. His ongoing Alex Marquez MotoGP struggle appears to hinder his ability to compete strongly this weekend at Motegi.
Early Challenges Cast Shadow Over Sprint Performance
Throughout Friday’s sessions, Alex Marquez suffered from a lack of front-end grip on his GP24 bike, forcing him to participate in Q1 qualifying, where he managed only eighth on the grid. This starting position made progress in the 12-lap sprint all the more difficult. Compounding his issues, a problem with the ride height device during the opening lap further impeded his race pace.
Despite these setbacks, Marquez remained on track to score points before nearly crashing late in the race, which saw him lose position to Ai Ogura. His inability to maintain a stronger pace has widened the gap between him and his older brother, Marc Marquez, who leads the championship standings.
Assessment of Performance and Technical Hurdles
Reflecting on his race, Alex Marquez said,
“For sure, we did today a step forward,”
addressing some improvements but acknowledging remaining gaps. He admitted,
“We are in delay compared to the other ones. We didn’t lose the Friday, but nearly. So, we are in delay in terms of work, to do the things, to have the feeling.”
Starting from eighth on the grid due to his qualifying results posed a major challenge. Marquez also revealed,
“I had a small issue where I didn’t disengage the front device until Turn 5 and I lost some positions there also at the start.”
Additionally, battling in the slipstream of riders including Fabio Quartararo, Luca Marini, and Raul Fernandez put extra wear on his front tire, further affecting his grip and speed.
Describing his near-crash moment, Marquez added,
“I had that save on Turn 9. It is what it is. We need to make another step. We are delayed in many things, but tomorrow needs to be another step forward.”
Championship Context and Upcoming Prospects
The points deficit between Alex and Marc Marquez now stands at 191, with Alex needing to outscore his brother by at least seven points to prevent the older sibling from securing the 2025 MotoGP title this weekend in Motegi. Marc Marquez performed strongly on Saturday, finishing second in the sprint behind Ducati teammate Pecco Bagnaia and will start third for Sunday’s 24-lap main race.
Alex Marquez’s continuing difficulties not only highlight the technical and setup struggles faced by Gresini Ducati but also impact the title battle dynamics as the season approaches its critical stages in Indonesia and beyond.
