Alex Marquez sharing Gresini secrets? “Marc Marquez close, doesn’t need help!”
Alex Marquez summarises Gresini Ducati's preparations for the 2024 MotoGP season
Alex Marquez laughed off suggestions that he could share insight with his brother Marc Marquez about their bike.
Marc has followed Alex from Honda to Gresini for this season, pairing the siblings in an exciting duo in the Ducati satellite team.
Perhaps Marc’s adaptation, after 11 years with the same manufacturer, could be smoother if his brother shared secrets of the bike that he has used for the past year?
“He’s too close,” Alex insisted after the three-day MotoGP Sepang test.
“He doesn’t need help!”
Marc’s first day in Sepang was somewhat scuppered by a series of minor technical problems.
“He lost, completely, the first day,” Alex said.
“When you lose the first day, here in Sepang? The second day, you are delayed.
“This was his second day, I would say, of testing. He’s too close to us!”
Ominously the third and final day concluded with Marc sixth-fastest, +0.588s behind the leader Francesco Bagnaia.
But notably Alex went quicker - fourth-fastest overall on Thursday - and +0.256s behind Bagnaia.
Alex reflected on his three-day test in Sepang: “Yes, a good time attack. In the box they are happy.
“It’s not a realistic lap time because there was a lot of rubber on track.
“In the test, always, you take conclusions [with a pinch of salt].
“We did a sprint simulation with a different set-up, different electronics.
“Because I was not happy with traction control on the ‘23 bike. So we tried a few things.
“The most positive thing was to understand the problems that we had in the sprint race, so we arrive in Qatar more ready.
“It was a solid three days. I’m happy with how we work in the box.”
How much work does Alex’s side of the Gresini garage have to do, before the season begins?
“The technicians always have ideas,” he replied.
“They would do, every day, 80 laps! But physically, on the bike, you need to stop.
“Zero to five, I am four-and-a-half happy with the package that we have.”
Alex enjoyed his best season in the premier class last season after swapping LCR Honda for Gresinu Ducati.
Now joined by his esteemed brother, they will team together for the first time since the ill-fated 2020 season when their alliance ended prematurely due to Marc’s injury.
Before the 2024 MotoGP season begins in Qatar on March 8-10, there is a two-day test in the same place which is the final opportunity to prepare.
