Alex Marquez expecting “different story” at San Marino MotoGP after Barcelona win

The San Marino MotoGP will be a “different story” for Alex Marquez, he thinks, after winning in Barcelona.

Now a two-time winner in 2025 and the only multiple winner other than his championship-leading brother Marc Marquez, Alex Marquez heads to Misano for this weekend’s San Marino MotoGP with his confidence renewed following a difficult period around the summer break after his hand fracture in Assen.

The Catalunya weekend was won that Marquez says he needed, especially ahead of a race at a circuit he has traditionally struggled at in the premier class, with his best result at Misano in MotoGP being the sixth place he picked up at last year’s San Marino race.

“Barcelona result was super-important for us, especially for the moment that it was in the championship that we were a little bit struggling in the last races, especially with the results,” Marquez told the pre-event press conference in Misano.

“It was a weekend that a rider needs when the confidence is not 100 per cent, it gives to you a boost, gives to you even motivation to keep going.

“It’s important to arrive here in San Marino that we know will be a different story, that especially will be not easy and is another track that normally I struggle a little bit more.

“But we try our best, we come here with confidence and we will try to make our best again.”

Explaining his difficulties in San Marino in past seasons, Marquez said that the first section of corners on the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli layout have generally proved to be those that cost him the most time.

“There’s one part of the track that I always lose quite a lot that would be turn one, turn two, turn three,” he said.

“It’s my weakest point there, but for the rest of the track I’m quite fast.

“So, I hope that the GP24 will help me a lot compared to the GP23 last year that I was struggling especially on braking points. So, I hope the GP24 gives me more confidence on the front part of the bike and I’m able to go in faster on the corners.

“If I’m not struggling on that point in sector one we will be able to be fast, so I will focus on ourselves to not make those mistakes and to be able to fight for everything, or for the maximum that we can.”

The Gresini Racing team for which Marquez rides has run a special replica livery of one of Fausto Gresini’s Morbidelli 125cc bikes at Misano each year since 2022. Marquez explained that the former team boss’ spirit remains within the squad now led by his widow, Nadia Padovani, who Marquez describes as a “real boss”.

“For us it’s super-special to ride here and to ride for Fausto [Gresini],” Marquez said.

“We have always some presence of Fausto inside the team, it’s something that in the atmosphere you can feel it.

“I didn’t meet Fausto in a really deep way, because when I came on the [team] he already passed away, but it’s something that you feel the people, the atmosphere, the way to work is still the ‘Fausto style’.”

He added: “I want to say that Nadia [Padovani] is making a super-good job.

“She remained there, when Fausto passed away, and she’s a really important fuel for us, a real boss – it’s Nadia there commanding everything and it’s super-important.”