ALEX MARQUEZ SAYS MARC WAS “PLAYING” AT MISANO AS HE EXPLAINED THE RACE GAP

Alex Marquez arrived in Salzburg on Monday for ServusTV’s “Sport und Talk aus dem Hangar-7,” where the Spaniard—set to join the Red Bull KTM works team—looked back on his recent Misano performance and ahead to the next challenge at the Red Bull Ring.

In Sunday’s Misano Grand Prix, Marquez finished second behind his brother Marc. While the result was a highlight, Alex said the focus had shifted quickly to Spielberg, where he believes the key will be avoiding mistakes. “2025 was I in Spielberg second in the sprint. Then I had a long-lap penalty, it was a difficult race. This year we have several options to move forward. I try everything and I think we’re in good shape,” he explained.

On Marc’s speed at the Red Bull Ring, Alex was clear about what stands out. “I think Marc is super fast at the Red Bull Ring. He’s very strong on the brakes and when turning into the corner,” he said. But he added that the circuit punishes errors more than most. “The key is that you can’t make a mistake on this track. You have to have the pace all the time, you can’t lose time— not even a tenth. There are naturally a few questions I could ask Marc, but I’d say it’s mainly consistency that makes the difference.”

Marquez also reflected on Misano itself, describing it as a “great Sunday.” Starting from ninth after Saturday didn’t go well, he said the team had expected a best-case finish around fourth, fifth or sixth. Instead, the pace arrived and he found himself in contention. “It was especially to do it for Marco Simoncelli. It was a special weekend. The base of Gresini is really very close to the track,” he said, noting that he and teammate Fermin Aldeguer raced in Simoncelli colors.

Asked whether he could have attacked Marc in Misano, Alex pointed to the difficulty of changing the plan once the race rhythm formed. “If you have a plan and you change it, it’s worse. From ninth it wasn’t an issue. Then suddenly I got into the flow, but I was actually really on him,” he said. He also described the pace gap: “The race this year was seven seconds faster. It’s not easy to overtake with that pace. He had a tenth more in the pocket. He played a little—every time I went on the gas, he became faster again.”

Despite the challenge, he praised the outcome, calling it “great” to secure a double victory.