Alex Marquez, the younger brother of six-time MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez, has spoken candidly about the difficulties he faced during his debut season in the premier class with Honda.
Speaking to the official MotoGP podcast, Marquez revealed that the difficulties he faced during his debut season led him to question himself and his ability to compete at the highest level of motorcycle racing.
"At some points, you start asking yourself questions like 'Can I do it?' or 'Am I fast enough?' or 'Am I good enough to be here?' and all these questions," Marquez said.
"It's normal because it's your first year, and you're trying to learn everything, but for me, I had a lot of questions in my head about myself."
Despite the challenges, Marquez says he remains motivated and is using the experience to continue improving his skills and become a more complete rider.
"I'm still working hard to try and improve my level and to be better," he said. "So, I'm trying to use this difficult moment to grow up and to be better, and to use it like a school to learn and to improve everything."
Marquez, who won the Moto2 championship in 2019, was promoted to the Repsol Honda team for the 2020 season alongside his older brother. However, he struggled to adapt to the powerful RC213V machine and suffered several crashes, including a high-speed accident in the season-opening Spanish Grand Prix that left him with a broken arm.
Marquez's teammate, reigning MotoGP world champion Joan Mir, also offered words of encouragement for the younger rider, saying he believes Marquez has the talent to succeed in MotoGP.
"He's a really fast rider, and he has the talent to be here," Mir said. "I think it's just a matter of time and working on the small details to make everything work well."
Marquez will have the opportunity to demonstrate his progress when the 2021 MotoGP season kicks off.