Marc Marquez admits MotoGP retirement is getting closer after injury struggles
Marquez is closer to the end (Credit: Apex Agency)
Connor Andrews is Formula 1 and MotoGP writer for GPblog and various outlets. Having worked in motorsport for 15 years for leading companies, he has interviewed the sports biggest names and attended multiple Grands Prix.
Marc Marquez has given an honest take on his MotoGP retirement.
The impending 10-time world champion is signed for two more seasons with Ducati, through to the end of 2028.
However, perhaps as an indication of where his mindset is, there is reportedly a break clause in the deal at the end of 2027.
The timing isn’t surprising, as MotoGP ushers in a generational set of rule changes next year, including smaller engines, reduced aerodynamics and Pirelli tyres.
Marquez will also be partnered by the man many see as his successor at the top of the sport, Pedro Acosta, who will join Ducati from KTM.
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As such, retirement talk is never far from the 33-year-old, particularly given his injury history.
Speaking about his mindset ahead of his likely title win in Portugal, he spoke about his 2020 injuries that almost saw his career come to an end.
Marquez admits injuries have changed his approach to MotoGP
He said: "Before, I felt like a superhero. Then, 2020 taught me that we're all human, that one day you can be a superhero and another day you can be a completely different person.
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"I've had seven different surgeries on my right shoulder; it's a lot, and I can feel it. It is what it is, but it's the rider who decides where the line is. Now I'm starting to assess the risk more, and that risk is injuries and crashes.”
"Before, I felt like a superhero. Then, 2020 taught me that we're all human."- Marc Marquez
Marquez pulled out of the 2020 season and then missed most of the following three campaigns with continued relapses in arm injuries.
However, he finished third in 2024, first in 2025, and will make history this year if and when he clinches the title to match Giacomo Agostini’s record of eight premier-class titles.
Despite the tough moments, the man from Barcelona says winning has been his best aid through the pain.
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Winning keeps Marquez motivated despite retirement speculation
"It's the best fuel for the body,” he said. “If you don't savour it, you forget what it is, and the effort in training isn't the same anymore.
“That's why, when you win, you feel: 'Okay, this is what I really want.' For now, I don't feel that there's anything comparable to winning a MotoGP title. It's something completely different.
Acosta's arrival could complicate things for Marquez (Credit: Red Bull Content Pool)
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"At the beginning of my career, I didn't realise what a MotoGP title meant because I was winning year after year; it became normal.
“But after a very difficult period, last year was the moment when I felt the greatest explosion of emotions inside.”
Given all those factors, Marquez doesn’t see retirement in his immediate future.
Marquez acknowledges retirement is closer but refuses to set a date
He finished: “I’m here and I’m still competing because, for the moment, I haven’t given up mentally. I’ve already achieved a lot, but even so, I can’t give up.
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“I know that if I win I can remain competitive for a few more years, but we're not in a sport like football or tennis, where you give 100 per cent but the risk is much lower.
“In MotoGP you have to evaluate many things before retiring. Is it closer than yesterday? Yes. But when will it be? I don't know.”
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