What’s Happening with Álex Márquez? MotoGP Rider Struggles to Find Form
Cervera, Spain – After a promising 2023 season that saw him secure a sprint race victory in Portugal, Álex Márquez is facing a challenging start to the 2025 MotoGP campaign. Currently eighth in the championship standings with 13 points, the Gresini Racing Ducati rider is grappling with a lack of confidence and a markedly different feeling from his motorcycle compared to last year. The question on the minds of MotoGP fans is: what’s gone wrong for the 2014 Moto3 World Champion and 2019 Moto2 World Champion?
The early stages of the season have been particularly difficult for Márquez. He’s just two points ahead of riders further down the leaderboard and 16 points behind those contending for a top-seven position. This represents a significant downturn in form for a rider who was a title contender last season, finishing as the runner-up in the championship. The contrast between his 2023 performance and his current struggles is stark, prompting questions about the cause of his difficulties.
A Different Sensations, A Loss of Confidence
Márquez himself has pinpointed a fundamental shift in the feel of his Ducati machine as a key factor in his struggles. Even as he hasn’t explicitly stated the bike is slower, he describes a loss of the positive sensations he experienced in 2023, particularly under braking. This loss of feel is impacting his riding style and forcing him to adopt a more cautious approach.
“It’s not just the front,” Márquez explained, as reported by Motosan. “The rear stability likewise; the way we enter the corners feels unstable. And that really destroys the rider’s confidence when entering the corners correctly.” This instability is forcing a change in Márquez’s approach, making it difficult to replicate the aggressive style that served him so well last year.
The impact of this loss of confidence is significant. Márquez admits to being more defensive in his riding, hesitant to capture the same risks he previously embraced. “I’m playing more defensively because I don’t have the same confidence as last year. I don’t have the same touch as last year. When I try to ride like I want, I end up crashing,” he stated.
Braking Issues and Rear Instability
The core of Márquez’s current woes appears to center around braking performance and rear-end stability. He’s experiencing difficulties in controlling the bike during crucial braking zones, particularly at circuits with hard braking points. This isn’t necessarily a problem with the brakes themselves, but rather a lack of overall stopping power and a feeling that the entire motorcycle isn’t working in harmony to decelerate effectively.
“Here I have more stability in the rear part, so the carcass helps us a little to have more stability in that point, but as for the bike, we don’t have, let’s say, braking power,” Márquez explained. “I would say it like this: it’s not that the brakes don’t function, it’s as if the whole bike doesn’t stop and doesn’t help us to stop.”
This issue is compounded by the instability he feels when entering corners, creating a vicious cycle of reduced confidence and compromised performance. The combination of these factors is preventing Márquez from fully exploiting the potential of his Ducati machine.
Ducati’s Response and Future Outlook
Despite the challenges, Márquez remains optimistic that a solution can be found. He believes that Ducati is aware of the issues and is working to address them. “So we require to focus, live with the problems we have, and I’m sure Ducati will find the solutions,” he said.
Ducati’s commitment to supporting Márquez is crucial. The Gresini Racing team, a satellite team for Ducati, relies on the factory for technical support and development. Addressing Márquez’s concerns will require a collaborative effort between the rider, the team, and Ducati engineers.
The next race on the MotoGP calendar is the Grand Prix of the Americas at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas. This event will provide Márquez with another opportunity to test potential solutions and regain his competitive edge. The track’s demanding layout, with its challenging braking zones and fast corners, will serve as a stern test of both rider and machine.
Álex Márquez’s current struggles highlight the delicate balance between rider, machine, and confidence in MotoGP. While he faces a significant challenge, his determination and Ducati’s support offer hope that he can overcome these difficulties and return to the form that made him a championship contender. The MotoGP season is long, and there’s still plenty of time for Márquez to turn things around.
Next Up: The MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, is scheduled for April 10-12, 2025. Retain an eye on Archysport for full coverage of the event and updates on Álex Márquez’s progress.
