Lost at Gresini: Nadia Padovani claims Alex Márquez struggled in Marc’s shadow
Photo by JOSEP LAGO/AFP via Getty Images According to team boss Nadia Padovani, Alex Marquez began to lose his way at Gresini by trying to follow the same approach as his brother, Marc Marquez, who had just joined the team. Alex had started to settle into life in MotoGP following a rough stint with Honda, aided by a switch to Ducati with Gresini. But the arrival of Marc on the other side of the garage in 2024 presented a whole new challenge.
Marc moved over from Honda after a legendary run with the Japanese manufacturer, looking for speed on one of the grid’s fastest bikes. He adapted quickly, finding form right away. Marc ended that year third in the championship standings, while Alex finished eighth.
Despite being his best result up to then, Alex struggled by trying to imitate his teammate’s style instead of focusing on his own strengths. Nadia Padovani explained that their time together at Gresini was difficult for both brothers but added that it helped Alex realise he needed a different approach. The move reunited him with long-time friend Luca Marini and put him under new management once again.
This gave Alex another chance to build confidence without comparisons hanging over him every weekend. Photo by Gold & Goose Photography/Getty Images Alex Marquez realised he had to stop ‘imitating’ Marc Marquez at Gresini Nadia Padovani reflected on the time Alex and Marc shared a garage, noting that Alex seemed to struggle while trying to follow in his brother’s footsteps. It wasn’t until he stepped back and took his own approach that things began to change.
“Having both brothers on board has certainly been very important for the team,” said Padovani. “Yes, the team has grown because Marc is an incredible professional, and he’s been that way right from day one. “When we did the tests in Valencia in ’23 when he joined us, that’s when we saw him in action as a rider with us.