MotoGP Rider – Alex Marquez (Spain)

Alex Márquez: Detailed Rider Profile

BY TECHM STUDIOS
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AUG 12, 2026
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UPDATED: AUG 12, 2026
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Álex Márquez is a Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle racer and a two-time World Champion. Born in Cervera, Spain, on 23 April 1996, he races with number 73 and has established himself as a leading MotoGP rider after winning world titles in both Moto3 and Moto2.

Quick Facts

Full name	Álex Márquez Alentà
Date of birth	23 April 1996
Place of birth	Cervera, Spain
Nationality	Spanish
Race number	73
Height	180 cm
Weight	65 kg
2026 team	BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP
2026 motorcycle	Ducati
World Championships	2 – Moto3 (2014), Moto2 (2019)
MotoGP debut	2020

Rider details are based on the official MotoGP rider profile.

Early Career

Márquez developed his racing career in Spain before progressing to the international Grand Prix paddock. He competed in the FIM CEV Repsol series and won the lightweight-class title in 2012. He also made wildcard appearances in the Moto3 World Championship that year.

In 2013 he moved into the Moto3 World Championship full-time with Estrella Galicia 0,0. He immediately demonstrated front-running potential, taking his maiden Grand Prix victory at Motegi and finishing fourth in the championship. His performances established him as one of the most highly regarded young riders in the class.

The breakthrough came in 2014. Riding a Honda, Márquez won three races and accumulated ten podium finishes on his way to the Moto3 World Championship. He defeated Jack Miller in a closely fought title battle, becoming a Grand Prix world champion for the first time.

Moto2 Success

Márquez stepped up to Moto2 in 2015 with Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS. His first seasons in the intermediate category were challenging, but he gradually transformed himself into a consistent race winner.

His first Moto2 victory came at the 2017 Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez. That win was particularly significant because it demonstrated that the 2014 Moto3 champion had developed into a genuine contender in the physically demanding intermediate class.

The defining season arrived in 2019. Márquez won five races, collected ten podiums and secured the Moto2 World Championship at Sepang. In doing so, he became the first rider to win both the Moto3 and Moto2 World Championships.

Move to MotoGP

After his 2019 Moto2 title, Márquez made the jump to MotoGP for the 2020 season with the factory Honda team. His debut campaign was unusual from the outset because the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically altered the championship calendar.

Despite being a rookie, he produced several standout performances, including consecutive podium finishes at Le Mans and Aragon. His performances showed that his racecraft and adaptability could translate to the premier class.

Márquez subsequently spent three seasons racing Honda machinery, including two seasons with LCR Honda. The period was difficult because Honda's MotoGP package was increasingly uncompetitive, limiting his opportunities to fight consistently at the front.

The Gresini Ducati Turning Point

Márquez's career changed significantly when he joined Gresini Racing for the 2023 season and switched from Honda to Ducati machinery. The move put him on a Ducati GP22 and immediately restored his competitiveness.

In his first Gresini season he secured a Sprint victory at Silverstone and two Sunday MotoGP podiums, including a second-place finish at the Malaysian Grand Prix. He finished seventh in the 2023 championship.

He remained with Gresini for 2024. One of the emotional highlights of that season came at the German Grand Prix, where Alex and his older brother Marc Márquez shared the Sunday podium. It was a landmark moment for the Márquez family and for MotoGP.

Breakthrough MotoGP Season: 2025

The 2025 season represented the biggest breakthrough of Márquez's MotoGP career. He emerged as a genuine championship contender and ultimately finished second in the MotoGP World Championship.

Márquez claimed his first premier-class Grand Prix victory at Jerez and subsequently added wins at the Catalan and Malaysian Grands Prix. His Sepang victory came immediately after he had secured second place in the championship, giving him a particularly strong finish to the season.

The 2025 campaign also produced an extraordinary piece of family history: Alex and Marc became the first brothers to finish first and second in the MotoGP World Championship.

2026 Season

Márquez entered 2026 as an established MotoGP race winner and one of Ducati's strongest satellite riders. He remained with Gresini and continued to ride Ducati machinery.

He won again at Jerez in 2026, reinforcing his status as a consistent front-running rider rather than a one-season challenger. His campaign has also included difficult moments, including a serious crash at the Catalan Grand Prix that affected his subsequent races.

At the German Grand Prix in July, Márquez was involved in a fight for the lead with his brother Marc before crashing while chasing victory. He returned to competitive form at Assen and then showed strong speed at Silverstone, where he led the opening practice session. In the British Grand Prix itself, he finished fourth.

As of August 2026, Márquez remains one of the principal riders to watch in the premier class. He has demonstrated both outright qualifying pace and the ability to manage long championship campaigns at the front.

Riding Style

Márquez is generally regarded as a technically sophisticated and adaptable rider. His background across Moto3, Moto2 and MotoGP has given him experience with markedly different motorcycle characteristics and race dynamics.

One of his major strengths is racecraft. Rather than relying exclusively on qualifying performance, he has repeatedly demonstrated an ability to manage tyres, position himself intelligently in battles and extract performance from Ducati machinery over race distance.

His move from Honda to Ducati also highlighted his adaptability. After several difficult MotoGP seasons, the change in machinery allowed his strengths to become much more visible, turning him into a regular podium contender and eventually a championship runner-up.

Relationship with Marc Márquez

Alex is the younger brother of Marc Márquez, one of the most successful MotoGP riders of the modern era. Their careers have frequently intersected and have created some of the sport's most unusual family storylines.

Both brothers became world champions in the lightweight and intermediate categories, and both have competed at the highest level of MotoGP. Their 2024 German Grand Prix podium was the first time the brothers shared a MotoGP Sunday podium as teammates, while their 2025 championship results created the first MotoGP championship one-two for brothers.

Their relationship is nevertheless more than a statistical curiosity. Racing against a sibling who is also a multiple MotoGP champion provides Alex with an unusually direct benchmark at the highest level of the sport.

Career Significance

Márquez's career is notable because he has succeeded in every major Grand Prix category he has contested. His two world championships made him the first rider to win both the Moto3 and Moto2 titles, and his progression into MotoGP has ultimately produced multiple Grand Prix victories and a championship runner-up finish.

His story is also one of resilience. The difficult Honda years could have derailed his premier-class career, but the move to Gresini Ducati revitalised his results. Since then, he has developed from a promising MotoGP podium finisher into a proven race winner and championship contender.

2027 and the Next Chapter

Márquez's next major career move is already confirmed. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing has announced that he will join the factory team from 2027 on a multi-year agreement.

The move places him at the centre of KTM's preparations for MotoGP's technical changes beginning in 2027, when the championship moves to 850cc engines. His experience developing and racing Ducati machinery is expected to be valuable as KTM develops its next-generation RC16.

The KTM move therefore represents a new phase of Márquez's career: from satellite Ducati contender to factory rider with responsibility for contributing to the development of a major manufacturer's new MotoGP project.