Marquez reacts for the first time to major Ducati news

On Tuesday, Ducati announced that Marquez has extended his contract through 2028. This ends months of speculation about the future of the nine-time world champion, who earlier this season deliberately delayed a decision due to uncertainty surrounding his physical condition and the new MotoGP regulations that will be introduced in 2027.

Marquez himself calls the extension a logical next step. "I am incredibly happy with this new agreement with the Ducati Lenovo Team and to remain part of this family," says the Spaniard. "When I decided to join Ducati, I was convinced it was the most competitive project. They believed in me, and together we have built a relationship based on trust and hard work."

According to Marquez, Ducati also gave him the time he needed to reach a decision. "With this extension, they have reaffirmed that trust. They respected that I needed time and gave me the calm I needed to make the right decision," he continues.

Marquez also refers to the world championship he won together with Ducati last year. "In our first year together, we fought for the title and won it as well. That is an invaluable result and confirms that we made the right choice at the time," said the Ducati rider. "I still race because I love this sport and because I want to achieve even more ambitious goals. I am convinced this is the right place to do that. As long as I am here, I will give everything to paint the future Ducati red."

Within Ducati, which had to wait a few months longer for confirmation due to the star rider’s ongoing injury troubles, the contract extension is also seen as a logical result of the collaboration between both parties. Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali calls it the most natural choice after the successes of recent years.

"Extending with Marc for 2027 and 2028 is the most logical choice after the incredible results we have achieved together since his arrival at Ducati," says Domenicali. "He brought an exceptional winner’s mentality to a team that was already successful. Moreover, Marc perfectly represents the Ducati mindset: dedication, sacrifice, professionalism, and at the same time the ability to work in a positive and relaxed atmosphere."

According to Ducati Corse General Manager Luigi Dall'Igna, trust is the foundation of the partnership. "The story between Ducati and Marc began with trust. First, he approached us, then he chose us, and now we are building the future together," says the Italian. "Marc has always put his passion, motivation, and competitive spirit at the center of the choices he made. His expression of trust in us made us proud and gave us even more motivation to support him to the fullest."

Dall'Igna is also impressed by Marquez’s technical contribution. "As an engineer, working with Marc has made a big impression on me. He has taken the Desmosedici GP to an even higher level and extracted the maximum from every component. Our ambitions remain unchanged, and I am happy that together we can write a new chapter in this Ducati story."

The contract extension follows a period in which Marquez had to fight back from injury once again. After a heavy crash in Indonesia late last year following contact with Marco Bezzecchi, he struggled with persistent shoulder problems. A new injury at Le Mans and a double surgery again sparked speculation about his future. The nine-time world champion himself had all but ruled himself out of the title fight.

Yet Marquez returned to the bike just three weeks after his surgery. Since then, his form has clearly been on the rise. Wins in Hungary and Brno brought him back into the title fight and significantly reduced his deficit to championship leader Marco Bezzecchi: over two race weekends he managed to cut the gap from 102 to just 40 points.