MotoGP - Curious MotoGP duel: Marquez brothers use psychological tricks to win their own mother's favor!

Everyone had actually expected a World Championship battle between the two MotoGP stars in red leathers in 2025. But Francesco Bagnaia, with a 72-point deficit before the Aragon Grand Prix, is in a near-impossible position in the riders' championship, which is why the World Championship trophy will most likely go to Marquez this season. The big question is: Which one?

Alex Marquez is the big surprise of the 2025 MotoGP season, making life difficult for his older brother Marc Marquez since the opening weekend in Buriram. Only 24 points separate the brothers ahead of their home race at Motorland. So, anything is still possible, including a sensational World Championship win for car number 73. The dream is certainly alive – and now, ahead of the Aragon GP, ​​heavier weapons are being unpacked.

On paper, the roles are clearly defined ahead of the upcoming race weekend. Marc Marquez arrives in Aragon as the record winner, starting the Grand Prix as the clear favorite for pole position and both race wins. Alex Marquez knows this too: "Marc should leave here with 37 points." In terms of driving skills, the younger brother will likely have nothing to compete with his older brother. And that's precisely why the Gresini rider is now trying to put pressure on his former teammate in other ways.

"We already played a bit yesterday. We had dinner together at Gresini, and we just called him 'Mister 37,'" reveals Alex Marquez. The intention behind it is clear: "Let's see if that makes him nervous. We told him: 'We have nothing to lose here. You, on the other hand, have everything to lose, right?'"

So the first psychological games between the two Marquez brothers began, to which Marc immediately had a ready answer: "I just told them that I scored more points than them in their living room." He was referring to the recent race weekend at Silverstone, where Alex Marquez had the upper hand over his older brother in terms of pace for the first time this season. He impressively confirmed this with his sprint win , but couldn't get beyond fifth place in the Grand Prix – while Marc Marquez finished third, thus collecting two more World Championship points than his title rival.

Will the tide turn again in Aragon? Alex Marquez is certainly on the lookout for mistakes from the world championship leader. "This is racing, anything is possible. He should have left Austin with 37 points, but he didn't," the 28-year-old recalls his brother's crash in the American Grand Prix . Marc Marquez himself hasn't forgotten that either: "I know I've won many times at this track. But I did that in Austin too, and the result in Silverstone was still the better one. I have to stay focused. The mistakes on Sunday are my weak point at the moment. I have to stop that if I want to fight for the world championship. I was very lucky [on] last Sunday."

Following his Silverstone triumph over brother Alex, Marc Marquez had already begun playing his own mind games at the beginning of this week. He posted a story on Instagram showing him with his mother. The Ducati star captioned it: "I convinced my mother, she's switched sides!!! She wants her eldest son to win." The background: Previously, his mother, Marquez, had seen herself more on the light blue side, as Marc recently revealed in an interview with theBBC : "Our mother is more supportive of Alex. She tells me, 'You've already achieved enough, let him win.'"

Now, apparently, a change of heart seems to be happening, much to the chagrin of Alex Marquez. A small dig that the one-time MotoGP race winner, of course, didn't want to take lying down on Thursday in Aragon. "My mother already explained it to me; she sent me a message. She's still on board the 'Alexneta' and won't be getting off," he proudly announced, immediately adding that his mother would be watching the race weekend in Aragon from the Gresini garage rather than the red factory garage. Still, a first points-scoring victory for the number 73 car.

Finally, it should be mentioned at this point that the mind games between the two Marquez brothers were, and are, serious. Their relationship hasn't been damaged by the renewed world championship battle; quite the opposite. "We're just joking, of course," Marc Marquez clarifies. "We're living in an incredible moment and can only be happy. Our parents support us both, and the rest of the family and our friends only want the best for us. My mother simply feels more comfortable at Gresini because she knows more people there. And honestly, I don't care at all [which garage she watches the race weekend from, ed.]. I just want the best for my brother; we're extremely happy."

So, all is still peace and harmony in the Marquez camp. The mood, however, is quite different for Pedro Acosta and KTM. The youngster once again lashed out at his employer before the Aragon GP. Find out exactly what Acosta expects from KTM in this article: