Álex Marquez knows his mission as leader of Gresini

Nadia Padovani is the direct type, and no less ambitious, so when the time came to set to Álex Márquez her goal for the coming season, she targeted high: “I am convinced that he can and must fight for the top 5 every weekend.” The march to be crossed compared to last year is therefore high, but for its sixth year in MotoGP, the third with the Faenza team, the Spaniard must show its ability to find the outposts.

“Now, I am the most experienced in the team, so I have to progress and get results, but I see it capable. With a team that appreciates me, I think I have the potential to get there”, Press the double world champion Moto2 and Moto3, which was playing last year in the shadow of his brother, now left for the official Ducati team.

Like the management of the team, Álex Márquez wants to take advantage of all the lessons learned from this fairy season season that #93 brought to Gresini, but also his own personal experience. “It's my third year in the same team, I know everyone, and it brings a balance. And then, having finished the season well gives the serenity necessary for the winter. Afterwards, when we take The track, you can be fast or not, but I think everything we learned last year for multiple reasons gives us experience and especially the desire to do well. “

“Before starting, it is always difficult to formulate expectations in terms of positions, because you never know where the others will be, how the other manufacturers that are APRILIA, KTM, HONDA and YAMAHA will have improved. Everything The world wants to progress enormously from one year to the next. From the start. “

“Nadia mentioned the position we have to do, she talked about the top 5 in each race. But we are not only working to be in the top 5: all the pilots of the grid work with the will to win Each race.

The year of victory?

Win: the word is released. Álex Márquez continues to chase victory, having obtained it so far in the sprint race, and he enters what could perhaps be the happy new year, with a motorcycle greeted for his competitiveness at any level in comparison GP23 he had last season.

“The year 2024 was not very easy for him”, recalls sports director Michele Masini, “Because certain characteristics of the motorcycle have somewhat put her in difficulty. But from the Barcelona test, he found a very good feeling with the GP24. […] I am sure it will be better suited to the strengths of Álex. “

Even with the Spec 2024 of the Ducati, which won the championship last year, Márquez remains very careful before living the pre-season tests. “I tried it but after only one day, it's difficult [de l’évaluer]”, he warns. “In one day, you can be quick but not know 100% the strengths of the motorcycle. Now, you have to make a solid pre-season, without making mistakes, and understand what we will be strong with this motorcycle, Who is different on many points.

“I think there will be many opponents this year, it's very open”, Continues the pilot, curious to see the dynamics that will set up in the peloton. “It will be interesting to see how all the pilots who have changed [d’équipe]. And then, in a season that is so long, we can start badly and finish well. What I learned from 2024 is that we have to focus on ourselves: we know our potential and we have to work to get the most out every weekend. “

Álex Márquez assumes in any case his new position in the team, now joined by the Rookie Fermín Aldeguer, for whom Gresini Racing will nourish more modest ambitions. “I don't like the word captain, but I may be the team's reference. This is something normal”, he conceded.

“When it was announced that Fermín joined the team, I always said that I liked the idea of ​​seeing how a driver of the new generation works, his speed, which he does to be fast. is something that interests me enormously, because we can always learn. 'Being the team's reference, the one who must obtain results. motivates a lot. “