Alex Marquez gets his own place: "I'll always be Marc's younger brother"

With the start of the European season at Jerez, all eyes are on the Aprilia versus Ducati duel in the MotoGP class. The Borgo Panigale manufacturer dominated the opening Andalusian day. It’s too early to make predictions, but the trend suggests the Desmosedici has closed the gap to the RS-GP. Alex Marquez confirms that the circuit named after Angel Nieto is his hunting ground.

The younger of the Cervera brothers celebrated his 30th birthday last Thursday and marked it with the fastest time on Friday at Jerez. Last year he turned 29 here, gifting himself his first MotoGP victory. This year he intends to repeat the feat and claim his first podium of the season in front of the home crowd. A lot has changed for Alex Marquez since the start of the year, starting with his home.

Just over a month ago he left his brother Marc’s house to live on his own. "We’re both getting older and we need to be independent. But I spend so much time with my brother that I almost forget (that we live in separate houses, ed.)."

Alex and Marc seem to live in symbiosis off the track, sharing every training session and much of their free time. "Yes, I will always be the younger brother. When I turn 50, I’ll still be the little brother." He celebrated his 30th birthday with his closest friends, but the best gift could arrive at Jerez with a win. "Not just for the triumph, but also for the related bonus," joked the rider with number 73.

The feeling on the Ducati GP26 isn’t optimal yet, despite Friday’s best lap. "We’re far behind, that’s the reality. I don’t feel like I did last year when everything was smooth. Aprilia has raised the bar; I think we’ve stalled a bit."

Marco Bezzecchi has collected three wins in the first three Grands Prix of 2026 and is currently leading the MotoGP championship. He has been at the front in the last five races. "We need to stay focused and not panic," suggested Alex Marquez. "On Monday we have an important test for us; that’s when we’ll get a clearer picture." Updates are expected for the Desmosedici GP26, and the Gresini rider won’t be left out of development, even though next year he will be a KTM rider. "Ducati always respects decisions, and the team change isn’t confirmed yet. They also gave Martin everything they had, even though they knew he was going to Aprilia."

Jorge Martin received a three-place grid penalty for impeding Alex Marquez in the final minutes of the afternoon session. A point in Ducati’s favor this MotoGP weekend, which should mark the Red’s comeback. "A really important day for us. I won’t lie, we needed it," he concluded. "It will be important to fight for pole position and then try to stay very focused for the Sprint."