Two years ago, Alex Marquez was fighting to keep his MotoGP career alive, but now he is competing for the world championship. This remarkable turnaround is driven by his partnership with the GP24 bike, which has propelled him into the championship fight in 2024.
How Alex Marquez Found His Winning Edge with the GP24
After a difficult start at Repsol Honda in 2020 and challenging seasons with LCR, Alex’s career seemed to stall. However, his move to Gresini Racing and Ducati in 2023 sparked an immediate revival, thanks to two podium finishes and victory in the Sprint races. Despite a tough season on the GP23 machine, which favored his new teammate Marc Marquez, Alex’s breakthrough came when he first tested the GP24 at the Barcelona winter test last November.
Gresini team manager Michele Masini revealed that although the GP23 bike performed well overall—it was even the winning bike for Francesco Bagnaia—the setup never suited Alex’s riding style. Masini explained,
“At the beginning of the year [2024], we had some – let me say – not technical issues, because the bike worked very well, it was Francesco Bagnaia’s winning bike, but it did not match really well with the riding style of Alex,”
—Michele Masini, Gresini Team Manager
By analyzing data and sharing insights between Alex, Marc, and other Ducati riders, the team developed solutions to improve the package. On his first run with the GP24 in Barcelona, Alex immediately connected with the bike. Masini described this connection as “love at first sight” and recalled a moment during the Thailand test when he encouraged Alex to keep going without changing his approach:
“He was leading the winter tests, and I remember in the Thailand test I said only one thing to Alex: ‘You don’t have to change nothing, just continue like that because you have everything in your hands.’”
—Michele Masini, Gresini Team Manager
Recognizing Alex Marquez as One of the Top Competitors on the Grid
Masini’s surprise at Alex’s early success this season has given way to firm belief in his potential. After strong performances in COTA and Jerez, where Alex secured his first MotoGP win, he briefly held the top position in the world championship standings. Masini stated,
“Maybe I didn’t think we would lead the world championship, but I did realise that we could fight every single race for the podium,”
and added,
“And I have to say, that in this moment, Alex is the second strongest rider on the grid.”
—Michele Masini, Gresini Team Manager
Currently, Alex ranks closely behind factory Ducati riders Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia, remaining only five points shy of his best season total with much of the campaign still ahead. According to Masini, Alex’s steady improvement is built on the support and collaboration found within the Gresini garage.
He explained,
“It’s really tough to compete in a team where on the other side you have Marc Marquez, even if he’s your brother. But in the end, it’s all about how to solve your problems, inside a garage where we can share everything,”
continuing,
“After the practices, we talk all together with the riders and the engineers. This is one of the things that maybe some factories didn’t have inside their garage. Because sometimes it’s kind of a split garage. So we use this support to grow.”
—Michele Masini, Gresini Team Manager
Masini also noted that Alex’s history demonstrates his need for consistency to reach his full potential:
“If you look back at his career, he always arrived at the goal [title] in Moto3 after a couple of years, in Moto2 after a couple of years. He’s a rider who needs stability and to be confident with the team, and this helped him to reach success.”
—Michele Masini, Gresini Team Manager
The Journey to Alex Marquez’s First MotoGP Victory
For the Gresini team, the moment of Alex’s maiden MotoGP victory at Jerez was a milestone long expected to arrive. It served as proof that his progress was more a matter of timing than possibility. Masini reflected on this achievement, saying:
“We knew that the first win was around the corner. It did not change his mentality, but it maybe gave us all a boost to compete at the highest level.”
—Michele Masini, Gresini Team Manager
Despite a setback from a double crash at Le Mans, the team’s performance remains consistently strong across varying conditions and tracks. Masini highlighted the resilience of their setup:
“I have to say also, despite the double crash in the Le Mans race, the important thing at the end is that we are always fast in every condition. We are always near the top. So it’s all in our hands, what we do.”
“Sometimes everybody can make a mistake. But the important thing is that our feeling is really, really strong at the moment.”
—Michele Masini, Gresini Team Manager
Reassessing Alex Marquez’s Career and Character
Masini believes it is time for the MotoGP community to take a new look at Alex’s accomplishments and qualities as a competitor. He underlined Alex’s status as a two-time world champion and praised his personality within the team environment:
“I think many people need to re-evaluate the sporting career of Alex. Because sometimes people don’t remember that he’s a two-time world champion,”
—Michele Masini, Gresini Team Manager
“This is the third year that I’ve worked with Alex and he’s a really kind and good boy because he’s always thinking about the others – the mechanics, the team – and this is so amazing in a rider,”
adding,
“Because as a rider, you don’t have to be so kind, because it’s a strange job. But Alex is the complete opposite of an ‘angry rider’. It’s enjoyable to work with him.”
—Michele Masini, Gresini Team Manager
Masini also described the emotional transparency Alex shows, making it easy for the team to understand his needs and support him appropriately:
“But also when things go wrong, he loses his smile. So it’s easy to understand what he’s thinking and when we need to give him a hug.”
“Everything is transparent between us, and the limit of what we can achieve together is very high.”
—Michele Masini, Gresini Team Manager
Looking Ahead: The Future of Alex Marquez’s Campaign
As the 2024 season continues, Alex Marquez’s journey from career uncertainty to genuine title contender illustrates the crucial impact of the GP24 package and a supportive team environment. Positioned among the elite Ducati factory riders, his recent successes signal a shift in MotoGP’s competitive landscape. Should he maintain this form with consistent performances, he could not only challenge for the world championship but also reshape perceptions of his riding legacy.
