The younger of the Marquez brothers slipped frustratingly down𝄹 the championship ranking from 14th to 16th to 17th&🐭nbsp;during his MotoGP seasons with Honda.

But he has looked much more li𒁃ke the Moto3 and Moto2 world champion of old ever since stepping onto the 2022-spec Ducati, signing off pre-season testing with the seventh fastest time (+0.434s) and a Sprint race simulation close to the very best.

Now comes the real ‘test’, a🎀t Portimao for this weekend’s grand prix.

“I'm really motivated,” Marquez said on Thu🍌rsday. “I think this season is one of my best opportunities to show my potential.

“I know the pre-season is really different compared to a GP, but I'm looking forward to start. Starting in a good way will be important, but if noꦏt, no panic. We have a long season in front of us.”

A perfect start is exactly 𓂃what Gresini predecessor Enea Bastianini managed by winning 🐠last year’s season-opener, in Qatar.

Given his testing form, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Marquez in contention for﷽ victory this weekend. But he warned that - unlike last season - the latest Ducati is al🌄ready looking formidable.

“I think it w📖ill be different compared to last year, when [Ducati] had some problems [with the new bike] in the beginning. I think the ‘23 bike didn't change a lot💙, like Pecco said many times, so it will not be like last year.

“It's true that we have more information, more data about electronics an⛄d all this [for our bike]. But I think it will be really equal f🅰or the guys that are with the ‘23 and ‘22.”

Marquez 🍎insisted that he has always started a new season with his sights set on victory. The difference this time around is that it also looks realistically possible at some stage over the 42 races.

The 26-year-old is keeping his feet on the ground, having seen grip levels play hꦡavoc with H𒊎onda’s form last season.

“Last year at this point we were not bad. Later was a disaster. But when we arrౠived in Qatar, we were not♏ bad, but with grip on track. For that reason, we need to have our feet on the ground [this weekend] because the grip will change compared to the test.

“So we'll try to be really focused from the beginning. ꦦTry also to u▨nderstand the new format of the grand prix weekend, which will be really different. But I think we are quite prepared and quite clear which work we need to do.”

Alex Marquez wi🍌ll be rejoined in at Gresini by team-mate Fabio di Giannantonio, who was forced to miss the final day of testing due to a concussion.