Eight-time world champion Marc’s♉𒐪 confirmation that he will swap Repsol Honda for Gresini Ducati in 2024 has caused a major buzz in the paddock at this weekend’s Indonesian MotoGP.

And a key chapter i🧜n the story will be his teammate next year, his brother Alex who made a successful jump a year ago from LCR Honda to Gre𓆏sini.

Asked if Marc would become a rival, Alex responded at Mandalika: “Every🔯body will be my rival, not just Marc. 

“With a teammate you always have a spec🙈ial thing, he’s the first you want to beat on the track, it will be like this, it’s true. 

🤪“If we ✤beat him, we will be on the top! It will be a normal relationship. 

“We already shared a box, not for long. It didn’t end in the best way, with🍬 his injury. We have a second opportunity t☂o enjoy it together.”

Alex revealed ♍his own roleཧ in the bombshell move that has rocked MotoGP: “It will be interesting to see him on a Ducati bike. 

“I was expecting a fast teammate but not like that! It will be fascinating.&🃏nbsp;

“I’m happyꩵ for the team, they deserve it, and also🦋 for Marc because he deserves it to enjoy it again on the bike. 

“I won’t say that he did🐼n’t ask for my opini💯on. But I gave my opinion as a brother, not as a Gresini Ducati rider. 

“As a brothe🍌r because I know what [he’s been through] since 2020. He is suffering even 🌊now. 

“It’s time to make a change, it’s hi꧙s decision, an⛎d for me it is positive. 

“I have a fast teammate, an eight-time world champion, and I can leaꦆrn a lot from that situation. It will increase my level to learn from the best rider on the grid.”

• Marc Marquez revꩵeals: "One year off was a possibility | Gresini took a gamble"

Several Ducati riders, including title rivals Francesco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin, have debated wheth♑er Marc will immediately become a championship conten✤der next season with a better machine.

“It’s 𒐪too early to say that,” Alex insisted. “Normally we see the stories of the Ducati riders when they arrive, it’s quite easy to adapt to the bike, also in my case. 

🔜“But he’s been riding the same bike for 11 years, there are many things he must change. But he has an incredibl꧅e talent. 

“He will be fast from the first moment. But to fight for a championship? It’s too early. Step by step. We 𝕴still have the whole winter in front, all of preseason.”

The Marquez brothers have a🌞lso maintained that, away from the paddock, the🍷y do not discuss MotoGP at home in Spain. Next year, that might change…

“We said many times, at 𓆉home we don’t speak about races,ও” Alex smiled.

“This year less because we have different bikes. Next year yes, because we can speak about the bike, about what🌌 he did, what I didও. It will be an easier life for us.”

Alex is returning to action this weekend in In🍰do✱nesia after fracturing a rib.

“I’m really happy to be here again, I miss theꦕ team and the atmosphere of MotoGP,” he said after being passedജ fit to compete. 

“It’s not easy to see the races at home on TV. I arrive on the limit in my physical🥃 condition.&n𝓡bsp;

“I’ll try to be realistic in every moment. How is the pain? I’ll speak with theও doctors and if the pain is too high, I will stop. I won’t put any objective on positions. I will go from practice to practice.”