Factory MotoGP bike step will bring “double the work” for Alex Marquez

Gresini MotoGP rider Alex Marquez says he will face “double the work” in 2026 when he steps onto a factory Ducati for the first time, but sees this as a “really good opportunity”.

The current second-placed rider in the 2025 standings has won two grands prix for Ducati on year-old machinery and has regularly been the next fastest of the brand’s competitors behind Marc Marquez.

For next year, Ducati has elected to provide the 29-year-old with a factory-spec bike, bringing its total GP26 offering to four with Fabio Di Giannantonio contracted to ride works machinery at VR46.

The younger Marquez brother believes Gresini deserves this opportunity for the results it has shown since joining Ducati in 2022.

“Super happy for me, super happy especially for the team,” he said ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.

“I think they deserve it. I think if you look at the history for Ducati with Gresini, they did an amazing job every year.

“Every year they get some wins in the races. So, they deserve it. This year my results also helped to have that bike for next year.

“Nadia [Padovan, team owner] helped me a lot and she was also pushing a lot to have that factory bike.

“So, thanks to Ducati and to Gigi [Dall'Igna] especially because he made this real.

“We have all the material to make a good job in 2026 but first of all we have to finish this season in a good way.”

On how he will have to adapt in 2026, he added: “For sure, it will change a little bit our approach during all the tests.

“We will have more things to try, more things to work on. So, we will have double the work.

“This year the tests were super easy. We were just trying to extract the performance, not trying pieces and all that.

“But that work I like, to try things, to help Ducati to improve.

“It will be a really good opportunity for me and the team, and we will try to extract the potential from that.”