ALEX MARQUEZ SAYS PIRELLI TEST WILL BE HANDLED WELL BY PEDROSA AND ESPARGARO

Alex Marquez arrived at the Austrian Grand Prix with renewed momentum after a strong outing at Misano, where he returned to the podium on a race Sunday for the first time in a long while. After his win in Jerez, it was only his second MotoGP podium of the season, following near-misses at Silverstone and Aragon where he finished fourth on both occasions.

Looking ahead to this weekend’s Red Bull Ring, Marquez reflected on last year’s event, when he was “very quick” there. He noted that the main race required a long-lap, and that he ultimately crossed the line in 10th, but he emphasized that his pace and consistency were still there: “Last year I was very fast here. Of course, in the main race I had to do a long-lap and then I finished 10th, but I was fast and consistent.”

The Spaniard also pointed to the circuit’s distinctive stop-and-go character and the history of Ducati at Spielberg. Since 2016, the Italian manufacturer has recorded ten Grand Prix wins at the Red Bull Ring, and Marquez believes the track’s demands suit the team’s direction. “It will be a good test for us, because the tracks in Austria and Motegi are similar,” he said, drawing a comparison with Motegi, where the championship will visit in early October. For Marquez, the key is understanding where improvements are needed: “It will be interesting to see where we stand and in which points we need to improve.”

Beyond the race weekend itself, Marquez also addressed a Pirelli test scheduled for the Red Bull Ring after the Grand Prix. On Monday, Pirelli will run tests with next year’s 850cc bikes. Marquez will not take part, as he is set to leave Gresini Ducati at the end of the season and move to KTM’s factory team in 2027. The test will instead be handled primarily by riders who are not switching manufacturers, and Ducati has also made use of Superbike standout Nicolò Bulega, who is heavily involved in development work for the 850 project and has extensive experience with Pirelli tyres.

When asked whether it is a disadvantage that he won’t be testing, Marquez played down the impact. “Except for Nicolò, the others won’t have a big advantage,” he said, adding that the programme is short: “It’s only two days—one in Brno and one in Spielberg.” He also stressed that the tyres used will not match what riders will face later in the season. “The tyres won’t be the same. I think Pirelli will change tyres many times. Maybe the one we’ll have in Thailand will be completely different.”

Marquez acknowledged that Bulega should have more information because he will have covered many kilometres before the first race, but he argued that the broader field won’t necessarily translate that advantage into immediate relevance. “Naturally, Nicolò will have a lot of information because he will have done many kilometres up to the first race. But for the rest, that’s not the case,” he said.

He also explained his preference to focus on the current package rather than mixing variables. “I prefer not to test the bike and the tyres, because otherwise you can end up mixing up the bike we have now with the Michelin tyres. Let them do the work,” Marquez said.

Finally, Marquez expressed confidence in the test riders KTM has lined up, naming Dani Pedrosa and Pol Espargaró. “I also think the test riders KTM has are very fast—Dani and Pol will do a good job,” he concluded.