Alex Marquez on Honda and Ducati: “At least I’ve enjoyed it, bike allows more"

Alex Marquez says “you can see that it is a bike that works” since swapping Honda for Ducati.

26 Feb 2023

The new Gresini Racing rider has not hidden his dissatisfaction at his final year with LCR Honda, and has been welcomed to his garage by team manager Davide Tardozzi who has backed him to “prove” how he won Moto2 and Moto3 titles.

Marquez was a part of Honda’s horrible 2022 - in Germany they failed to score a point for the first time in 40 years in a premier class race - and looks back without much fondness.

“Last year was tough,” he told Motorbike Magazine. “I think it's early to talk, but at least I've enjoyed it.

“The bike allows much more. Whenever I'm on a bike I enjoy it, but going fast is also important to enjoy."

Marquez is replacing Enea Bastianini, who earned a step-up to the factory Ducati team, and who won the second-most amount of races last year behind the MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia.

Marquez and teammate Fabio di Giannantonio will benefit from the 2022-spec Desmosedici, the best machinery on last year’s grid.

He said about their hopes: “We have to see. The start of the season is important to get a positive and good dynamic.

“We start at a circuit that I like, Portimao, and then come circuits where the Ducati goes very well, like Austin and Argentina.

Alex Marquez, Sepang MotoGP test, 11 February

“We'll see, but it will be a great opportunity to get off to a good start. The logic is that it is a year from less to more, but starting well would be important.”

Yes, they have made some evolution of electronics, which is used for the GP23, but it can also work for the 2022 bike. But little things. That also helps me focus on my thing, just the set-up to see what works best for us. It makes your life easier, because you can see that it is a bike that works and that only you have to get fine, up to date, to be able to get the most out of it."

Marquez said about the backing he has received from Tardozzi: “The reception from the first day has been very nice and they are wrapping me up very well.

“Ducati has that philosophy, that the eight riders who carry their bikes want them all to be at the front and they give you a lot of support. It's something to be thankful for and to feel important inside the factory.”