Alex Marquez has emerged as an unexpected contender in the 2025 MotoGP championship, sitting second in the standings and 48 points ahead of factory Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia. Riding the Gresini-run Ducati Desmosedici GP24, Marquez has consistently outperformed Bagnaia, even though he missed the podium at the Czech GP for the first time this season.
His aggressive approach in Brno, including a clash with teammate Fermin Aldeguer and a collision with Joan Mir, has earned him a long-lap penalty for the Austrian GP. While his title hopes against brother Marc Marquez have faded, Alex is now focused on holding off Bagnaia for second place.
Ducati general manager Luigi Dall’Igna believes the GP24 still holds “significant” untapped potential, despite not receiving upgrades. He notes that setup refinements alone can deliver major improvements, as the GP24—on which Jorge Martin won the 2024 title—continues to offer room for performance gains.
Bagnaia, struggling with the GP25, now faces the challenge of chasing a rival whose bike could still get faster without factory updates.
