Alex Marquez makes his debut on factory Ducati MotoGP bike at Gresini

Gresini star Alex Marquez is making his debut on the factory-spec Ducati GP26 in the Valencia test, as he begins his preparations for the 2026 season.

After finishing runner-up in the championship behind elder brother Marc Marquez this year, the Spaniard will get to race the newest version of the Desmosedici, while remaining at his current team, Gresini Racing.

With Marc Marquez still sidelined due to injury, the Borgo Panigale marque has three riders on hand to gather all the necessary data on the GP26: two-time champion Francesco Bagnaia, riding for the official team, VR46’s Fabio di Giannantonio, who already enjoyed the same privileges this year, and now Alex Marquez.

The last-named makes a two-year leap in terms of machinery, having raced the 2024-spec GP24 this year. This jump mirrors the one Marc Marquez made at the beginning of this year, when he went from the GP23 to the GP25.

During last weekend’s season-ending Valencia GP, Marc Marquez said he fully trusted his brother’s feedback for the development of the bike.

“It’s true that Pecco is suffering more than usual, but he keeps showing flashes of speed. I respect the riders and the technical crews a lot, and I stay on the sidelines,” he said.

“We need him, because on Tuesday, we have a very important test, and both he and Alex will be in charge of guiding us toward that 2026.”

On Monday night, under torrential rain, Alex Marquez was invited to the Ducati engineers’ truck in the paddock – an all-red trailer that the team brings to every European round, where more than 20 technicians work under the orders of Gigi Dall’Igna in complete secrecy.

Marquez went inside the truck and stayed there for about 30 minutes, receiving instructions on the work to be carried out during the test, although the poor track conditions on Tuesday may have altered the plan.

“From a technical standpoint, not much changes. Alex will have the same status as di Giannantonio, but without having a factory contract,” a Ducati team member told Motorsport.com.

“As for the work, Alex will continue with the same technical crew, with people from Gresini and from the factory, but he won’t have more than he’s had so far.”

Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing

Photo by: Steve Wobser / Getty Images

Same status as di Giannantonio

This fourth factory bike, in addition to those built for Marc Marquez, Bagnaia and di Giannantonio, was initially meant for the VR46 team, but Valentino Rossi’s outfit declined it, which opened the door for Ducati to offer it to Gresini for Alex as a reward for his great season. The switch to the current-year bike, however, entails a higher cost and extra effort for the team.

Furthermore, in Nadia Padovani’s team, there is a rider who does have a factory contract: Fermin Aldeguer, who in 2026 will have a GP25, the same bike as Franco Morbidelli. This could somewhat slow Aldeguer’s progression, as all riders other than Marc Marquez have faced difficulties on the GP25 this year.

“As a rider, it annoys you not to have the best Ducati next year. But if they didn’t give it to me, my time will come,” Aldeguer said

“In part, I deserved the factory bike because of my results and because I’ve always delivered and given good feedback. But there’s no need to rush – I just keep learning. Maybe I feel better with the GP25 than with the GP26.”

Ducati’s GP26 features the same power unit as this year, as part of an engine freeze agreement that came into effect at the beginning of 2025.

Photos from Valencia November test