Gresini announced last Sunday (26) the signing of Spaniard Álex Márquez to form its rider duo for the 2023 MotoGP season. After three seasons with Honda and two with LCR, the Spaniard will ride a Ducati for the first time in his career. For Marquez, this was the moment to try a change after a complicated year and a half.

"I spoke with Lucio [Cecchinello] and said that I didn't see myself on this bike, that it was my choice and I didn't know if I was going home or somewhere else, but that I didn't see myself there anymore, I needed a change. Mentally we had a very difficult season and a half and I needed a change, it will help me a lot," explained Álex.

For his place, LCR is close to announcing another Spaniard, Álex Rins, who will change teams after Suzuki's exit from the category. Asked if he believed it was a good idea to leave Honda, Márquez said that the brand is not experiencing its best moments, but that he doesn't doubt a recovery.

Fabio Di Giannantonio será o companheito de Alex Márquez na Gresini (Foto: Divulgação/MotoGP) — Fabio Di Giannantonio will be Alex Márquez's teammate at Gresini (Photo: Divulgation/MotoGP)

"Well, time will tell. In the end they go to Honda, it's a factory that has lost its way now, but if anyone can react, it's Honda. It's just that mentally and personally I needed a change to keep growing, and it's the best option I had," evaluated the Spaniard.

Moto3 champion in 2014 and Moto2 champion in 2019, Álex has yet to find the good results in MotoGP, despite winning two podiums in his debut year in the category. After taking advice from his brother, Marc Márquez, he concluded that it was time for a change, and claimed to have taken a weight off his shoulders with the Gresini deal.

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Álex Márquez não sobe ao pódio desde 2020 (Foto: Divulgação/MotoGP) — Álex Márquez has not been on the podium since 2020 (Photo: Disclosure/MotoGP)

"Sometimes it is clear that you doubt yourself. What better way to prove yourself than to have a Ducati, and if next year it doesn't turn out as it should, I'll be the first to say that I'm not good enough, that I don't deserve to be here," said the Italian team's new rider.

"In 2020, I think I've shown the level to be in MotoGP, I'm a two-time world champion, but you have to prove all that on the track and that's why I made the decision, I think I can do well there, otherwise I wouldn't have made that decision. It's a weight off my shoulders, I wanted to go on vacation in peace, I need to rest more than ever," concluded Márquez.

MotoGP is now on vacation and will be back in action on August 7, with the British GP at Silverstone.GRANDE PRÊMIO is following all the activities of the 2022 MotoGP World Championship.