'It’s not because he’s my brother but it’s the biggest surprise of the pre-season...'

After the final test of the 2025 MotoGP pre-season, Marc Marquez has had his say on the 'biggest surprise' from testing.

The eight-time World Champion named his younger brother Alex Marquez as the biggest surprise due to his strong form. The Gresini Racing rider topped the one-day Barcelona Test and the three-day Sepang Test.

However, in Thailand the older Marquez brother stole the headlines but Alex got about his business and ended both days in second place.

"In Barcelona he was super-fast," Marc Marquez said about his brother Alex Marquez.

"But then in Malaysia I tried to beat him but it was not possible in the sprint race simulation, he beat me. So, honestly speaking, it’s not because he’s my brother but it’s the biggest surprise of the pre-season.

“I know, because I know him, that when he has everything under control and that when he has a bike that he can rider in a good way, because he’s super sensitive on a bike, he understands very well what he needs.

“But when he achieves that feeling, he’s riding super-fast, not only in Catalunya and not only in Malaysia, also here [in Thailand] which is a completely different race track with a lot of hard braking points, he start and today he was in the top three in race pace and in a qualifying practice lap.”

Alex Marquez will ride the year-old Ducati GP24, which on the surface may seem like a hindrance to the 28-year-old. But his times have instantly improved since he switched from the Ducati GP23 that he used in 2024 to the GP24.

The Spaniard will now also have the same engine as the factory Ducati riders after they decided to opt against the 2025 Ducati engine.