• Alex Marquez is now linked to being picked for the Repsol Honda squad for the 2020 MotoGP season.

• If so, he will join his elder brother Marc Marquez as teammates.

• The seat was left open after Jorge Lorenzo announced his retirement.

Alex Marquez is now linked to joining his brother, eight-time world champion Marc Marquez in the factory Repsol Honda squad for the 2020 MotoGP season.

The tears from Jorge Lorenzo’s emotional farewell press conference probably haven’t even dried yet and the rumours are already running rampant on who will replace him on the most coveted seat in the premier class.

It started between two riders, with one considered an outside chance. LCR Honda rookie Takaaki Nakagami was said to have the biggest chance to move up, while MotoGP refugee Johann Zarco replaces him in the team. Veteran LCR Honda and MotoGP rider Cal Crutchlow was also said to have a small chance to move up, but there are also thoughts of him retiring soon. Crutchlow had said that his entire body hurts and he has to take massive amounts of painkillers, hence considers that the sunset is just beyond the hill for this career.

Suddenly, Alex Marquez’s name popped up over the weekend. Throwing more fuel into the fire, the 2019 Moto2 champion didn’t confirm nor deny whether he will actually team up with his brother next year.

The biggest question is of course whether Marc has any part should Alex be promoted to the Repsol Honda team. After all, he proclaimed that “Alex is ready for MotoGP” as soon as the younger Marquez sealed the Moto2 title in Malaysia.

But Marc had this to say, “I would be lying if I said that I don’t want my brother, but I insist that I have never forced the situation and I won’t do so now either.”

Team manager Alberto Puig added, “Of course, Alex is an option. You have to consider him on his own merits, not his last name.”

However, that wasn’t all. There was also talk of Jack Miller replacing Danilo Petrucci at the factory Mission Winnows Ducati and Zarco taking up the vacant Pramac Ducati seat. Zarco was quick to state his thoughts on that prospect, “I’d rather be in Moto2 than ride the Pramac Ducati. It would be the same mistake with KTM.”

We will know by Tuesday next week during the MotoGP post-season tests.