Gresini Ducati MotoGP rider Alex Marquez has detailed the frantic, Q2 spot-saving scooter race across the Brno circuit he experienced on the opening day of this weekend’s Czech Grand Prix.
A crash in wet conditions in the final minutes of the afternoon practice session looked set to relegate the younger Marquez to Q1 - but a mad sprint gave him the chance to preserve his 100% record of direct Q2 qualification in 2025.
Marquez went down with about seven minutes left on the clock and while sitting in P11 on the timesheets, with what looked like a surefire trip to Q1 looming and almost no hope of being able to return to track to make it to inside the top 10.
However, hijacking not one but two scooters from marshals - after rejecting his first choice! - he was able to get back to the Gresini pits in time to sprint through the garage and back on track to set a laptime good enough for ninth, his Q2 spot secured by a quarter of a second.
It's getting INTENSE for the Marquez brothers 🤯@marcmarquez93 pulls off a save as @alexmarquez73 goes down at T7 😱#CzechGP 🇨🇿 pic.twitter.com/EwvVxZc2fi
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) July 18, 2025
“When I crashed, the first scooter that I saw there was Pecco’s [Bagnaia] one, with his father!" Marquez revealed through laughter during the session.
"I really have a good relationship with Pietro and everything, but I thought maybe it won’t be an easy situation for him!"
This is beacuse Marquez and Bagnaia are rivals for second in the championship, albeit with the former currently holding a huge points advantage in the matter.
“When I saw the white one coming, I took the white one to not [put Pietro Bagnaia in a difficult situation], you know!
"I took the white one, and I told him [the marshal] we needed to go. But they changed the rules of [the service road at] Turn 3 and you cannot pass [through there] so at that point the guy said 'run' and I ran!
“Then I saw another bike, and I took that one. I tried to [ride] the first one [already] and he said no - but the second one I didn’t give him the chance [to stop me from riding it]. I took the scooter and I went!
“When I arrived to the box, I thought I would not have time. The last TV screen I saw was like five minutes, and I thought I took too long - then someone said to me ‘come on!!” and I saw I had done a good job.
“I took a lot of risk in MotoGP today - but I would say I took more on the scooter! It was covered in grass and everything. It’s a situation that’s funny when everything comes good, but not one that any rider wants.”
While Marquez might have done a good job in getting back to the pits in time, he was only part of the equation - with his well-drilled Gresini team in place with the second identical machine set up and ready to go at the garage exit when he sprinted through the box without even stopping to talk, something he says he learned from big brother Marc.
Make way! @alexmarquez73's on a mission! 🎯#CzechGP 🇨🇿 pic.twitter.com/B9jZ3m1PHb
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) July 18, 2025
“This is a thing that always I have taken a lot of care about,” he explained when asked about it by The Race. “I saw from the outside when I was in Moto2, many times in Marc’s box they were always ready with both bikes.
“It’s something that always when I’m there with the team I say to them ‘please prepare the other one'.
"Because I know that this can happen and it’s important to be ready. When you are fighting for something nice, all the details count, and for that reason I am always pushing the team to be ready.”
