Marco Bezzecchi
Marc Marquez has been battling brother Alex Marquez throughout the Thailand Grand Prix weekend. It was expected to be the first chapter in an intra-team rivalry at Ducati, but Francesco Bagnaia has been upstaged.
There were signs in testing that the younger Marquez could compete. He’s riding a GP24 bike at Gresini, one that features the same engine as the factory Ducati.
The works team are running with a ‘GP24.9’ at present, and could stretch their advantage when MotoGP returns to Europe and they begin to develop the motorcycle in earnest. For now, though, Marquez junior can legitimately target race wins.
On Saturday, it was a Marquez one-two in both qualifying and the Sprint. Marc was just a tenth and a half ahead over a single lap.
By the end of the 13-lap sprint, the gap was less than 1.2 seconds. When they were teammates last season, the six-time MotoGP champion finished more than 200 points ahead (392 vs 173).
Sylvain Guintoli suspects that Marc Marquez was keeping pace in reserve, judging by his body language. If his brother can put him under more intense pressure, then he may unleash it.
Marc Marquez and Alex Marquez battle at Thailand Grand Prix leaves father ‘overwhelmed’
On numerous occasions so far this weekend, the MotoGP world feed cameras have cut to Julia Marquez, the father of the two riders, watching on from the garage. Mat Oxley ‘had a chat’ with him in the paddock after the Sprint.
Alex is yet to win a race but has finished on the podium five times. This, however, is the first time he’s followed Marc home in second.
According to Oxley, it would be an ‘understatement’ to say their father felt ‘overwhelmed’ afterwards. He described him as a ‘sweet, humble guy’.
Some critics may argue that Alex is only on the grid because of Marc’s influence. But he’s proving that he more than merits his place in the premier class.
MotoGP experts were spot on about Alex Marquez before Thai GP
Alex Marquez may wish Ducati had stuck with the GP25 from the outset. While their long-term ceiling would have been higher, his immediate prospects on the GP24 may have improved.
As it is, the amalgamated package at the factory team may have put them slightly out of reach. Fabio di Giannantonio is riding the same bike as Marquez and Bagnaia, but he’ll need time to adapt after missing much of pre-season testing through injury.
Marquez admits he made a mistake last year by focusing too much on other riders. He’s taken a fresh, more individualistic approach this time and it’s already paying off.
Our MotoGP experts talked up Marquez’s chances before the race in Thailand. He was seen as a potential rider to watch, though it’s still a surprise to see him ahead of Bagnaia.
Receive racing news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
