Gresini Racing rider Alex Marquez made an encouraging return to MotoGP competition at the Czech Grand Prix on Friday, describing his first day back on the bike as better than expected after recovering from the serious crash that sidelined him following the Catalunya round.
The younger brother of six-time MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez returned to competitive action during Friday’s practice sessions at Brno, where he continued to rebuild his confidence despite admitting he has yet to regain full physical strength.
Marquez opened the day by finishing 19th in Free Practice 1 with a best lap of 1 minute, 54.519 seconds. Although the result left him near the bottom of the timesheets, it represented a solid start for a rider returning from injury, with his pace still proving quicker than fellow competitors Diogo Moreira, Jack Miller, Enea Bastianini and Cal Crutchlow.
The Spaniard made significant progress during the afternoon Practice session, improving his lap time to 1:52.556 and climbing to 15th in the standings. While that performance was not enough to secure an automatic place in Qualifying 2, it marked a substantial improvement over the course of the day.
“Yes, I’m really happy. I’m tired, but at the end of the day this is beyond my expectations,” Marquez said. “I felt more comfortable on the bike and I was able to stay close to the front riders.”
Marquez explained that each lap helped him regain confidence as he adapted once again to riding a MotoGP machine after several weeks away from competition.
“Lap by lap I felt better on the bike. I was able to push, although I’m still missing strength in my muscles. Step by step, this weekend can be a test, a practice session and part of my recovery, and I think we’re doing that well,” he said.
Although pleased with his progress, the Gresini rider stressed that his priority remains managing his recovery rather than chasing results.
“This weekend I’ll listen to my body, step by step, and I won’t go beyond my limits or force anything,” Marquez said. “I don’t feel pain, and for racing I feel OK.”
The rider wearing the No. 73 also acknowledged that certain sections of the Brno circuit continue to present physical challenges, particularly heavy braking zones and rapid changes of direction that demand significant upper-body strength.
“In the braking areas and during changes of direction I can push a little, but it’s not completely safe yet,” he said. “I have to be more careful, but this is great practice just to be here and ride a MotoGP bike again.”
Rather than setting ambitious targets for the remainder of the weekend, Marquez said simply returning safely to racing already represents an important milestone in his rehabilitation.
“I don’t have any target for the race,” he said. “I just want to take things step by step, keep improving and make this part of my recovery. I’m happy with today, and now we’ll see how my body feels tomorrow.”
Marquez’s steady improvement throughout Friday offered optimism that he can continue rebuilding both his physical condition and race pace as he prepares to return fully to the fight near the front of the MotoGP field later this season.
