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| Marc Marquez vs Alex Marquez: Are Family Ties Getting in the Way of Real MotoGP Rivalry? |
The Marquez brothers—Marc and Alex—have become one of the biggest storylines in the 2025 MotoGP season. Racing under the same team, Gresini Racing, the duo consistently battles at the front of the grid. But their remarkable results are now raising eyebrows.
From the 20 races so far this season—including 10 Sprint Races and 10 Grands Prix—they've finished 1-2 an incredible 14 times. And guess what? Marc won every one of those head-to-heads, except for one—the Silverstone Sprint Race, where Alex came out on top.
So, is it all clean racing between brothers? Or is Alex holding back?
Suspicion After Mugello: Did Alex Go Easy on Marc?
Tensions started to rise after the Italian Grand Prix in Mugello, where Marc crossed the finish line almost two seconds ahead of Alex. Fans and experts began wondering: did Alex race Marc as hard as he would race someone like Francesco Bagnaia?
Just last weekend, the pair again took a 1-2 in the Sprint Race. But in the main Grand Prix, Alex crashed out after a collision with Pedro Acosta—an incident that left him with a broken hand.
Marc didn’t take kindly to the suggestion that his younger brother was “playing it safe.” In fact, he fired back, saying it’s his defensive riding tactics that are making it tough for anyone—including Alex—to get by.
Experts Weigh In: It's Not About Family, It's About Physics
Former MotoGP riders turned pundits Michael Laverty and Sylvain Guintoli weighed in with technical insight that could change the way fans see this rivalry.
Laverty, who raced 37 times in MotoGP, argued that MotoGP bikes are simply too big and too fast for riders to make aggressive moves like they can in World Superbikes.
“In Superbikes, you can line up a move after the fast right-hander at Turn 12. But in MotoGP, the straight is shorter, the bikes are wider, and there’s not enough space,” he told TNT Sports.
“Alex had the drive, but not the room. At 200mph, trying to squeeze in next to someone could be suicidal. Maybe he thought, ‘It’s too early, I’ll wait for the last lap.’ But the bikes are just too evenly matched. There was no opening.”
Guintoli added that aerodynamics also play a big part in why overtaking is so hard in MotoGP today.
“With the aerodynamic load, these bikes are extremely hard to turn. They naturally want to go in a straight line. It’s not like the old days—you can’t just dive in. I don’t think Alex had a real chance to make a move.”
Marc’s Assen Comeback: From Crashes to Champion
At the Dutch TT in Assen, Marc Marquez once again proved why he's still one of the fiercest competitors in the sport.
Despite suffering two crashes on Friday and a poor qualifying session that left him starting fourth on the grid, he managed to win the Sprint Race on Saturday.
“He was clearly in pain and didn't have a great Saturday morning,” said Guintoli.
“But when you think he’s down, he comes back swinging. That was an unbelievable ride.”
Marc didn’t stop there. He also took the main race on Sunday, securing his first Assen GP win since 2018—a huge personal milestone.
No Team Orders, Just Technical Limits
So, is Alex Marquez really holding back when racing his older brother? According to the experts, no. The issue isn’t sibling loyalty—it’s the technical limitations of modern MotoGP bikes.
Aerodynamics, bike size, and track layout all make overtaking extremely difficult, even for someone with the skills of Alex Marquez.
Marc continues to show why he’s a multiple-time world champion, fighting back from adversity and still delivering top-tier performances—even when the odds are against him.
Stay Tuned for More MotoGP Drama
The Marquez brothers are far from done this season, and their story is only getting more intriguing. Don’t miss the next chapter in what could become MotoGP’s most fascinating family feud.
For full coverage of MotoGP, World Superbikes, and more, catch every race live on TNT Sports and discovery+.