Marc Marquez once again led home his brother Alex Marquez at Aragon last weekend. It’s the third time this season they have finished one-two.
The result has been even more common in the Sprints. Remarkably, the Marquez brothers have taken first and second in all of the Saturday races, with Alex’s sole victory coming at Silverstone.
It’s no surprise that they occupy the same positions in the world championship. A gap of 32 points in Marc’s favour isn’t necessarily insurmountable.
It wasn’t supposed to be this way, though. Last year, when they were teammates at Gresini, the siblings both used GP23 machinery.
That meant they couldn’t keep up with factory rider Francesco Bagnaia or Pramac’s Jorge Martin, who was on up-to-date Ducati machinery. The 116-point gap between Marc and Martin at the end of the season, despite the former’s legendary talents, illustrated the performance disparity.
But the difference between the GP24 and the GP25 is minimal. A struggling Bagnaia has even suggested Ducati haven’t improved their bike over the winter, having virtually reached perfection last year.
Marc Marquez doesn’t want Ducati to give Alex Marquez new parts
With little to separate the two Ducati specifications, Alex has the tools to put Marc under pressure. He scored his first-ever Grand Prix victory in Jerez earlier this season.
Earlier in the season, Marc suggested that Alex could be rewarded by Luigi Dall’Igna for his standout performances. He’s outperformed fellow GP24 riders Fermin Aldeguer and Franco Morbidelli, as well as Bagnaia and Fabio di Giannantonio on GP25s.
However, speaking after the race in Aragon, the championship leader seemed to have changed his tune. Marc’s message was that ‘nothing should be given away’ to Alex, as per Motorsport Espana.
Alex is believed to be riding a GP24 that hasn’t been updated since the Austrian GP last August.
“It’s not something I decide,” Marc said. “Last year I was in that situation and you get what Ducati decides.
“At the moment, what we’re trying to do in the official Ducati team, right now, is try things to increase that gap. Obviously he’s my brother and I wish him the best, but it’s not something I can decide.”
Marc Marquez goes against his mother’s advice in Alex Marquez battle
It’s worth remembering that Ducati, for all their dominance, are trying to regain the title this year. In 2024, Martin became the first rider to win the title for a satellite squad in the MotoGP era.
Ducati won the teams’ title as well as the constructors’, but they will naturally want the clean sweep this year for the first time since 2022. That’s the best outcome for the prestige of the brand.
Marc has been delighted by the leap Alex has made in 2025, but his competitive instincts are understandably kicking in. That can be read as a sign of respect.
Marquez’s mother wants him to ‘let’ Alex win the title, but he’s chasing the all-time records set by Valentino Rossi and Giacomo Agostini. Besides, the younger brother wouldn’t want any artificial favours.
