Alex Marquez rules himself out of MotoGP title battle…

Alex Marquez has said it’s “not possible” for him to challenge for the 2025 MotoGP title despite his brilliant start to the new campaign.

The Gresini rider was rapid throughout winter testing and carried forward that pace into the season-opening Thai Grand Prix weekend, qualifying on the front row and finishing second in the sprint.

Although he couldn’t prevent Marc Marquez from claiming a dominant victory, he had no trouble fending off the second factory Ducati of Francesco Bagnaia, finishing more than two seconds clear of the Italian.

But while Alex Marquez says “dreaming is free”, he thinks the championship will remain out of his reach in what is expected to be his most competitive season in the premier class.

"I'll answer honestly: no, it's not possible. You have to be realistic,” he said of his title chances.

“They've been at the front for many more years, fighting for championships, constantly in the top three in the general classification. Marc has won a lot, they have experience that we don't have, of fighting every weekend for the podium.

“But, having said that, why not? Dreaming is free, life has taught me that by dreaming and working you can achieve things, we're going to give it our all and see where we are at the end of the season.”

Marc Marquez, Ducati Team (Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images)

Six-time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez said his younger brother was the only rider in the field who could keep up with his pace in the sprint race at Buriram.

Alex Marquez did indeed manage to bring the gap down to a second in the latter stages, but the factory Ducati rider was able to stretch his advantage once again and was never really in threat of losing the win.

The 28-year-old thinks both Marc Marquez and Bagnaia are able to “do different things” on track compared to other Ducati riders and it’s hard for him to replicate their performances.

“I think he has a few more hidden tenths, at least one, which doesn't seem like anything but is a lot here,” Alex said of Marc Marquez.

“I think we did our best on paper, which was to realistically finish second, so I'm very happy.

"I will also look at Marc's and Pecco's data. They do different things, you can see it in practice, but until you are behind them in the race and see the lines you can't know, he does turn four very fast and it is very difficult to imitate him. But in other points, like turn three or one, I can improve a bit.

"I keep saying that they both have a little more, with Pecco more equal, but he has more limits than me, we have to make a good start and some good first laps, it will be very important.”