Alex Marquez joining Ducati to relaunch MotoGP career

Spanish rider Alex Marquez said Sunday he will join the Ducati-Gresini team next season after growing frustrated with the difficulties he found in riding at Honda.

The 26-year-old brother of six-time MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez is seeking a new challenge after failing to progress in the top class since winning the 2019 Moto2 world title.

He was just 18th in the world standings ahead of Sunday's Dutch Grand Prix.

"It was crucial for me to change in order for me to recover the same kind of motivation I had when I first joined this class," Marquez said.

Marquez’s place at Honda had been at risk for some time, with Jack Miller, Miguel Oliveira and Alex Rins being linked to it.