Lost at Gresini: Nadia Padovani claims Alex Márquez struggled in Marc’s shadow

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According to team boss Nadia Padovani, Alex Marquez began to lose his way at Gresini by trying to follow the same approach as his brother, Marc Marquez, who had just joined the team.

Alex had started to settle into life in MotoGP following a rough stint with Honda, aided by a switch to Ducati with Gresini. But the arrival of Marc on the other side of the garage in 2024 presented a whole new challenge.

Marc moved over from Honda after a legendary run with the Japanese manufacturer, looking for speed on one of the grid’s fastest bikes. He adapted quickly, finding form right away.

Marc ended that year third in the championship standings, while Alex finished eighth. Despite being his best result up to then, Alex struggled by trying to imitate his teammate’s style instead of focusing on his own strengths.

Nadia Padovani explained that their time together at Gresini was difficult for both brothers but added that it helped Alex realise he needed a different approach.

The move reunited him with long-time friend Luca Marini and put him under new management once again. This gave Alex another chance to build confidence without comparisons hanging over him every weekend.

Photo by Gold & Goose Photography/Getty Images

Alex Marquez realised he had to stop ‘imitating’ Marc Marquez at Gresini

Nadia Padovani reflected on the time Alex and Marc shared a garage, noting that Alex seemed to struggle while trying to follow in his brother’s footsteps. It wasn’t until he stepped back and took his own approach that things began to change.

“Having both brothers on board has certainly been very important for the team,” said Padovani. “Yes, the team has grown because Marc is an incredible professional, and he’s been that way right from day one.

“When we did the tests in Valencia in ’23 when he joined us, that’s when we saw him in action as a rider with us. When he came into the pits, he started talking about what he’d felt and what he hadn’t felt. I mean, you can tell when someone is very professional, very perceptive and gives you incredible feedback.

She added: “And it was very important to have him in the pit with us for Alex, also because it’s clear that Alex, despite being his brother, felt the pressure from Marc.

“Of course, he felt that at a certain point he was almost losing his way because he was trying to imitate – that is; He wanted things like his brother [had] but they weren’t suited for him.”

Nadia Padovani noticed a shift when Alex decided to break away from copying his brother’s setup and focus on what worked best for him.

Signs point to Alex Marquez edging Marc Marquez early in the 2026 season

That shift in mindset appeared to pay off as Alex stepped into the 2025 season. While Marc had moved over to the factory Ducati team, Alex found himself with a race-winning package and took full advantage, collecting three victories across the year.

Alex has acknowledged that he wasn’t ready for a head-to-head title fight with his brother at that point. But it still turned out to be a historic campaign for both brothers, as they finished one-two in the standings — a first in MotoGP history.

This year, Alex is aiming to build on that momentum, even after a slow start. He picked up an important win at the Spanish Grand Prix, while Marc has been hampered by lingering injuries from his crash at Mandalika last season.

The younger Marquez noticed something unusual when reviewing data from Jerez — Marc was slower through left-hand corners. While it’s too early to draw conclusions this soon into the season, it does look like Alex may have found something with the GP26 that gives him an edge over his brother, who still isn’t fully fit.

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