Álex Márquez showed once again why he is runner-up in the world champion. And the first of the mortals behind the Martian is his brother, injured but always attentive to the actions of the youngest of the family. Marc was the first to congratulate him on Saturday’s victory in the Portuguese GP sprint. In the parc fermé, he reminded him of some of his advice via video call. “I already told you,” he commented as his father, Julià, held the phone. Everyone laughed and the Gresini team kept the driver who took them the furthest in the world championship standings.
Despite the celebrations, Saturday’s winner did not ring the bells and demanded even more from himself. “I didn’t have the best sensations, I didn’t feel very good on the bike. It’s time to improve for this Sunday”, he observed when remembering one of the most beautiful races of the year. With the cooperative in trouble due to the absence of the great dominator of the premier class, Portimão witnessed a magnificent spectacle on the track. Marco Bezzecchi once again underlined his brilliant development work with Aprilia with an unassailable pole position, although he then had to settle for third place on the podium. At the front, stronger, both the winner and the runner-up, Pedro Acosta, came closer and closer to his first victory in MotoGP.
The good start encouraged Álex after his crash in qualifying, which relegated him to fifth place on the grid. Bez He stayed on course through the first corner, but Acosta kept the slipstream and ripped off the stickers as the second lap began. Márquez surpassed the Italian in braking at the finish line in the fourth and in the sixth he did the same to the Murcian. The KTM man resisted with everything and in five corners there were up to four position changes in favor of the boy from Mazarrón.
The script was repeated two more times, but on lap nine Álex consolidated his overtaking on the first lap and held on at turn five, where Acosta had returned the maneuver twice. Seven knife passes to the delight of the fans. From then on, Márquez stood out, although his rival’s pride led him to fall behind the almighty Ducati at the checkered flag, after the second-placed driver relaxed more than necessary on the final lap. So close and so far from that first and long-awaited victory for Murcia.
“It was the coolest race of the whole year and we were very close. We knew we would suffer with the tires, but we are closer than ever”, celebrated the 21-year-old. The difference in traction between the KTM and Ducati made the difference. The winner, in turn, was pleased to have moved on.
a bad day by his exacting standards. “These battles are always good when you end up winning. I wanted to get rid of the pain of falling in qualification and I did, although I feel like we stagnated and the others improved more than us”, he concluded unhappily. He’s already starting to sound like the older brother, always looking for one more point before uncorking the prosecco…and even after you get it.
Another award for Marc Márquez
Despite being at home recovering from his shoulder injury, Marc Márquez took yet another award for his brilliant comeback season by confirming victory in the prize that BMW reserves for number one in the time trials. Álex’s fall guaranteed him the top-of-the-range car from the German brand and in ’93 he found out about the gift while shopping at the fruit store. As he usually does, he played in the hammocks and blamed the little one in the family. Good vibes and fair play above all.
With all the fish sold in this campaign, the riders see these last races on the route as a preview of the 2026 pre-season. That’s why Álex Márquez isn’t throwing his hat in the ring and seeks to get the most out of his bike, beyond just victory. His performances, in any case, continue to remind everyone that he reached the top to stay. Next year the final test will arrive: the same bike as the world champion and the one that all the riders aspire to on the grid.
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