Following his electrifying home victory at the Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez, Alex Marquez has shown the kind of humility and work ethic that defines a true competitor. While many riders might have taken time to bask in the glory of such a significant achievement, Marquez was back in his leathers the very next day, participating in the official MotoGP test on Monday. True to his grounded nature, he didn’t let the win cloud his focus—or his self-assessment.
The Gresini Ducati rider completed 47 laps during the test, with his best time landing him tenth on the timesheets. Despite leading the MotoGP standings after the win, Marquez was quick to point out that there’s still plenty of work to do, both with the machine and himself. Most notably, he offered a candid comparison to his brother and six-time MotoGP world champion, Marc Marquez, saying, “I’m still half a step behind Marc.” It was a revealing statement, showing Alex’s honest evaluation of his position in the paddock and his continual drive for improvement.
The Monday test at Jerez offered more than just routine laps; it provided an opportunity to delve into some serious setup experimentation on the Ducati GP24. Marquez noted that the grip conditions were extreme—describing them as “super high”—which created a unique scenario for the engineers and riders. High grip may sound like an advantage, but it also brings its own challenges, particularly with bike balance and cornering dynamics.
“Today the grip level was super high. Unbelievable,” Marquez said. “And normally we have a base setup that gives us a lot of traction. In general, we are always the best on traction inside the Ducati family.” This ability to capitalize on traction is one of the core strengths of the Gresini squad’s setup, especially on tracks with average surface grip. However, when conditions move beyond the normal range, the setup can start to work against the rider.
The issue Marquez faced on Monday was primarily one of balance. With too much grip, the bike becomes harder to turn and doesn’t transition as smoothly through corners. It’s a nuanced technical problem, but one that can make the difference between a podium finish and a mid-pack result. “When the grip level is very high like this, we struggle to turn the bike and have a good balance,” he explained. “So we tried a few things on the setup, also on the electronics, to try to understand what we need to do.”
One of the key strategies during the test was exploring “radical changes” in both hardware and software configurations. This approach signals a team willing to take bold steps to prepare for various track conditions that may arise over the course of the season. “Sometimes also having too much grip is a problem [for balance],” Marquez continued. “So we’re just trying a few radical changes to see which is the way to go, if we have this issue during a weekend.”
What stands out most is Alex Marquez’s mindset. After achieving what many would call a career-defining win, he’s not satisfied with standing still. Instead, he’s deep into the technical aspects of the bike, actively participating in refining the machine and providing crucial rider feedback. It’s the kind of dedication that builds champions—not just riders who win races, but riders who lead the development and performance of their team across an entire season.
His comment about being “half a step behind Marc” wasn’t one of defeat—it was a declaration of intent. Alex is chasing the shadow of one of MotoGP’s greatest, and rather than being discouraged by the comparison, he uses it as motivation. The younger Marquez knows exactly where he stands and exactly where he wants to be.
In a championship that demands relentless consistency and technical precision, Alex Marquez is proving to be more than just a skilled rider—he’s becoming a leader, a technician, and most importantly, a grounded competitor. As the MotoGP season continues, fans and rivals alike would do well to keep a close eye on #73. He may be just “half a step” behind today, but with his mindset and momentum, that gap could close sooner than anyone expects.