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Valencia, Spain – Alex Marquez, the Gresini Racing MotoGP rider, commenced his preparations for the 2026 season by debuting on the factory-spec Ducati GP26 machine during a post-season test at the Valencia circuit. The Spaniard, who finished as runner-up in the championship, was granted the opportunity to race the newest iteration of the Desmosedici while remaining with the Gresini Racing team.
With Marc Marquez still recovering from injury, Ducati Corse has entrusted three riders to gather critical data on the GP26. The lineup includes two-time champion Francesco Bagnaia, representing the official Ducati Lenovo Team, Fabio di Giannantonio from VR46 Racing Team, who received similar privileges this year, and now Alex Marquez.
This advancement signifies a two-year leap in machinery for Marquez, who campaigned on the 2024-spec GP24 this season. This trajectory mirrors the transition made by Marc Marquez at the start of the year, when he progressed from the GP23 to the GP25.
During the season-ending Valencia GP, Marc Marquez conveyed his confidence in his brother’s feedback for the bike’s development. He stated, "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 added, "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."
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On Monday evening, Alex Marquez was invited to the Ducati engineers’ truck in the paddock, a red trailer that serves as the team’s mobile technical hub at every European round. For approximately 30 minutes, Marquez received detailed instructions on the work to be performed during the test, although the track conditions on Tuesday may have necessitated alterations to the plan.
A Ducati team member disclosed, "From a technical standpoint, not much changes. Alex will have the same status as di Giannantonio, but without having a factory contract." The source added, "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."
Status Parity with Di Giannantonio
The assignment of this fourth factory bike, in addition to those allocated to Marc Marquez, Bagnaia, and di Giannantonio, was initially intended for the VR46 team. However, Valentino Rossi’s outfit declined the offer, leading Ducati to extend it to Gresini for Alex Marquez, recognizing his performance this season. The transition to the current-year bike entails increased costs and additional effort for the team.
Within Nadia Padovani’s Gresini team, Fermin Aldeguer holds a factory contract and will ride a GP25 in 2026, the same machine as Franco Morbidelli. This arrangement could potentially hinder Aldeguer’s progress, given the challenges faced by riders other than Marc Marquez on the GP25 this year.
Aldeguer commented, "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." He further noted, "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 incorporates the same power unit as this year, adhering to an engine freeze agreement that took effect at the beginning of 2025.
Valencia Test Insights
The Valencia test provided a crucial opportunity for teams and riders to assess new components and strategies for the upcoming season. In addition to Marquez’s debut on the GP26, several other notable developments occurred during the test.
Toprak Razgatlioglu made his debut with the R Pramac Racing Team, providing initial feedback on the Ducati machine after transitioning from WorldSBK. Celestino Vietti and Fabio di Giannantonio continued their development with the VR46 Racing Team, focusing on optimizing bike setup and performance.
Diogo Moreira commenced his tenure with Team LCR Honda, collaborating with crew chief Klaus Nohles to adapt to the Honda RC213V. Ducati Corse unveiled a special testing livery for Francesco Bagnaia’s machine, underscoring the team’s commitment to aerodynamic and technical innovation.
Fermin Aldeguer, alongside Alex Marquez, represented Gresini Racing, with Aldeguer gaining valuable experience on the Ducati platform. Marco Bezzecchi transitioned to Aprilia Racing, providing initial assessments of the Aprilia RS-GP.
Maverick Vinales began his journey with Red Bull KTM Tech 3, contributing to KTM’s ongoing development program. Johann Zarco debuted with Team LCR Honda, aiming to leverage his experience to enhance the Honda’s competitiveness.
Jorge Martin commenced his partnership with Aprilia Racing, with both Martin and Bezzecchi providing feedback on the Aprilia RS-GP. Nicolo Bulega joined the Ducati Lenovo Team for testing, adding his insights to the team’s data collection.
Alex Rins and Fabio Quartararo continued their work with Yamaha Factory Racing, focusing on improving the Yamaha YZR-M1’s performance. Raul Fernandez represented Trackhouse Racing, contributing to the team’s development program.
Enea Bastianini and Pedro Acosta tested with Red Bull KTM Tech 3 and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, respectively, providing valuable feedback to KTM’s technical team. Jack Miller continued his testing duties with R Pramac Racing, assessing new components and setups for the upcoming season.
The Valencia test served as an opportunity for riders and teams to gather crucial data and refine their strategies, setting the stage for the 2026 MotoGP season.
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