Alex Marquez secured second place behind his brother Marc in Saturday's MotoGP sprint race at MotorLand Aragon in Alcañiz. The Gresini Racing rider matched his sprint performance from the previous year at the Spanish circuit after starting from third on the grid.
Starting behind the front-runners, the Spanish rider navigated a chaotic opening corner to move into second position ahead of Aprilia rider Marco Bezzecchi. The result marked another strong performance on home soil for Alex Marquez, who has consistently shown strong form at Spanish venues on the Grand Prix calendar.
Opening lap battle in Alcañiz
Alex Marquez explained after the race that he rode with good flow through most of the lap until reaching sector three, where he felt he lost momentum through four consecutive corners before recovering in the final sector. He admitted that both race winner Marc Marquez and Bezzecchi possessed slightly better race pace throughout the afternoon sprint.
The Gresini rider noted that Bezzecchi was running close behind him on soft tires, which created significant pressure and made front-end management difficult. Recognizing that Marc Marquez was launching an aggressive move into the opening corner, Alex Marquez stated that he adjusted his positioning to prepare a cleaner corner exit, aiming to pass at least one competitor.
He revealed that he had not discussed any strategy with his brother prior to the start, noting that opening-corner situations in motorcycle racing cannot be planned in advance. Although he initially intended to hold an inside line to defend against riders behind him, he decided to take a calculated risk when he saw Marc dive into turn one, allowing him to gain second position.
Front end handling and setup challenges
Reflecting on his overall machine performance, Alex Marquez remarked that the race was not one of his best of the season in terms of personal feeling on the bike. He acknowledged that he is still seeking better front-end feel at MotorLand Aragon compared to previous rounds held at Jerez, Montmelo, and Silverstone.
He highlighted turn 12, a fast left-hand corner, as a key area where he attempted to replicate the riding line used by Marc Marquez. However, he explained that his brother utilizes a unique line through that section that is difficult for other riders to copy. He added that improving his lap time by one tenth of a second in sector three could yield a two-second advantage over the full distance of Sunday's main race.
Race pace and Sunday predictions
Alex Marquez expressed satisfaction with his role as an underdog, stating that he enjoys keeping a low profile during practice sessions before mounting an attack during the race. Having expected to finish third on Saturday, he said he was pleased to capitalise on the opportunity and take second place.
Looking ahead to Sunday's full-length Grand Prix, Alex Marquez identified the Aprilia machines as the favorites for victory. He pointed out that Bezzecchi and the Aprilia entry display better tire preservation, turn more naturally, and maintain a more consistent race pace without stressing their tires as heavily as rival bikes.
He concluded that small technical details and tire management will decide the outcome of Sunday's race, just as they dictated the battle during Saturday's sprint.
