Álex Márquez wrapped up the most impressive season of his MotoGP career by receiving the silver medal at the Champions Gala, marking his first appearance at the event as a premier-class rider. Despite the achievement, the end of the season left a bittersweet feeling: after winning the Valencia sprint race, Márquez was aiming for his first double, but the conditions changed dramatically during the main race.
The Gresini rider finished sixth and told the press that he experienced unexpected tire degradation between laps 5 and 7. “I don’t want to point fingers; we’re simply analyzing what happened, because it’s not normal to lose so much performance so suddenly,” Márquez explained. In the final part of the race, his teammate and Rookie of the Year, Fermín Aldeguer, overtook him by just 118 thousandths, while Raúl Fernández, Pedro Acosta, and Fabio Di Giannantonio also got past him, leaving him unable to catch leader Marco Bezzecchi.
Despite the setback, the Spanish rider remains optimistic and is already thinking ahead to the 2026 tests. “It’s better for these situations to happen when the championship is already decided. There are many factors involved, and when problems arise, it motivates you even more to improve,” he said. Regarding his drop in performance, he added: “I was feeling good following Bezzecchi, but suddenly my lap times dropped significantly and I had major vibrations in the rear end,” a common issue in the premier class.
Márquez rated his season a “9” and emphasized the significance of his achievement: “It’s been a historic year for both Márquez brothers,” he said, referring to a family that has shaped MotoGP’s recent history. However, the runner-up is aware that expectations will be higher next year: “We weren’t expecting these results this season, so next year the pressure will be greater. I’ll have the factory bike, and we must be among the best from the start. Getting off to a strong beginning is key, and this season has given us confidence.”
Looking ahead to 2026, Álex Márquez aims to solidify his position among MotoGP’s frontrunners and continue writing his story in the most demanding category of world motorcycle racing.
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