Marc Marquez may now be seeking a pay rise to stay at the Ducati MotoGP team for 2027

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Marc Marquez could attract a lot of attention in the MotoGP rider market next season, with his contract set to expire at the end of 2026.

The Spaniard broke new ground this year by dominating with a second different manufacturer, and reminding everyone that he still very much has what is required to win.

Ducati chose to put faith in him when others had written him off. He has already paid them back with one title, and maybe a second over the next 12 months.

But if they want Marquez to stay, not only do they need to convince him that they’ll be quick after the 2027 MotoGP regulations begin, but also that their compensation package is fair.

Liberty Media want Marquez back at Honda, but their programme still has a long way to go before competing at the top consistently again.

Following a major shunt in 2020, Marquez is ‘very calm’ in his 2025 injury recovery, and has learned from some of the mistakes of his past. It’s encouraging news for his fans.

READ MORE: Neil Hodgson names ‘underrated’ MotoGP rider as Marc Marquez’s ‘main threat’ in 2026 title race

Marc Marquez may be seeking Ducati pay rise to remain at the team for 2027

Marquez proved he can return to his high standards by winning so much in 2025, and it’s most worrying for his rivals. Clearly, he’s far from done with winning yet.

Despite KTM having failed to win for quite some time, Marquez has been told to ‘fear’ Pedro Acosta in 2026. He’s a rising star of the premier class.

But for 2027, they both could be at new teams. It all depends on how the MotoGP rider market plays out over the next few months.

SPEEDWEEK reports that with a view to his next contract, Marquez has already outlined his ‘expectations’ to Ducati.

It’s believed that he wants a ‘decent salary’ – one that potentially aligns with a rider of his calibre, of which there have been very few in the championship’s history.

Leaving over a pay dispute would be a shock move, and potentially leave a major vacancy at Ducati that many would be interested in.

READ MORE: Marc Marquez proposed a ‘pact’ with Alex Marquez before they dominated the 2025 MotoGP season

Why would Marc Marquez leave Ducati?

Leaving the team with the undisputed best bike over the last few seasons would be a dramatic move from Marquez, but would it actually be that much of a risk?

Someone like Honda is bound to have the budget to pay Marquez almost whatever he wants, and their project is trending in the right direction.

It might not take a lot to convince him that a fairytale return home before retiring from MotoGP could be a good idea.

It would be sensational to see him win another championship with them, especially if it would end up being his last before riding off into the sunset.