MotoGP
Álex Márquez: Rising star
The hugely talented brother of MotoGP World Champion Marc tells us about his route to the top.
Álex Márquez talks to his team at Le Mans
© Repsol Media Service
Fresh off the back of his first win of the Moto3 season at the Catalan Grand Prix, Álex Márquez is setting his sights on scaling the dizzying heights his older brother Marc has.
The siblings became the first brothers in the history of the World Championship to win Grands Prix on the same day, and did so on home soil at the Circuit de Catalunya in what will go down as another memorable day in the Márquez family.
With Marc having claimed titles in the 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP categories Álex is targeting huge success too. The extremely talented 18-year-old sat down with RedBull.com to tell us about his outstanding memories in what's already been an action-packed career.
Earliest memories of riding
My first ride was the same as Marc's: a Yamaha PW50. I remember the first time I rode it was with stabilisers because I couldn't stay upright! When I was younger I used to ride my brother's old bikes. When he was done with one, I'd get it as a hand-me-down!
We were always riding together, Marc and I, from the very beginning.
A star in the making: Álex Márquez
© GEPA/Gold & Goose
A close relationship: Brother Marc is never far
© Repsol Media
Celebrating the win at Circuit de Catalunya
© Repsol Media
Always on hand: Brother Marc celebrates with Álex
© DPPI
First racing memory
I think my very first race was when I was part of a mini-motocross club. I did the championship there, then moved onto the Catalan championship, and it grew from there.
I don't really remember my first win. I think the best result I got in the first motocross championship I rode in was fourth. I remember my first win on asphalt. I was eight or nine years old.
World Championship debut
I remember it well. It was at Jerez, as a wild card. I'd already ridden there in the Spanish championship, but this was something else.
It was full to the brim, the stands were packed, I'd never seen so many people at a race I was riding in. I wasn't used to seeing so many people at a race, but hey, it was awesome!
I finished 12th in the race, so I guess you could say it wasn't a bad result for a debut!
Álex celebrating his first ever win in Japan
© Repsol Media
First Grand Prix win
In Japan in 2013. It was an amazing moment. I'd been on the podium a fair few times and had been close to taking a win, but it hadn't been forthcoming to that point! Then it finally came in Japan.
It was a point in the championship where there was a lot of tension. Luis Salom crashed, Álex Rins crashed, but in the end I won. It wasn't the objective when I started the season, to win a race, but after how the first half of the championship went the aim did change a bit for the latter half.
Hero growing up
Dani Pedrosa. When I was little I always followed him. I remember when I was young Dani was in the 125s and I saw him as a rider who was very refined when on the bike and on track.
He always maintained a gap in front of the others, he was a guy who wasn't fussed about being the centre of attention, and that's something that I admired very much.
A tight-knit team: Álex has a solid crew
© Repsol Media
Racing philosophy
No matter how tough or hard it gets, you always have to look at the positives.
Also, it's all about the team. I might be the one who wins the race on the track, but for me it's the whole team who wins a race thanks to the work put in together throughout the entire weekend. I'm out on track because of them, and it's because they did a great job during the entire weekend that I've been able to be at the front.
When you win, you win together as a team.
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