Marco Bezzecchi
Marc Marquez returned to his very best this year with Ducati, but his future at the Italian constructor beyond the upcoming campaign remains in question.
Having moved from satellite Ducati machinery ahead of the 2025 MotoGP season, Marc Marquez couldn’t have wished for a better debut year in Borgo Panigale.
However, the new MotoGP regulations are now just around the corner, and the Spaniard has kept his lips shut on whether he will still be racing in Ducati’s famous red overalls, or look to find greener pastures elsewhere.
Ducati are facing stern competition for Marquez’s signature from Honda. The seven-time premier class world champion won six of his titles with the Japanese constructor, and returning to Honda would prove to be a full-circle moment for him.
Marquez’s old crew chief would ‘welcome’ him back to Honda with open arms following his departure at the end of 2023.
In fact, it was Santi Hernandez who told the Spaniard to leave the team in the first place, after seeing how downtrodden he was during his injury nightmare.
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Claudio Domenicali admits that Ducati are facing ‘an issue’ with a new deal for Marc Marquez
During Ducati’s celebrations of their triple-championship-winning 2025 campaign in Borgo Panigale, Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali was asked whether there had been any progress regarding Marquez’s contract renewal with the team.
He said to the media, including GPOne, “Marc is getting on the market and, obviously, it’s going to be an issue to be assessed. He’s very good with us and vice versa, but it’s all to be assessed.”
“Ditto for Pecco [Bagnaia], who’s been with us for a long time. The market exists for everyone, but right now, it’s very early. I think in February, March the games will start to be played.”
It’s understood that Marquez is waiting for the right offer until he pledges his future to the MotoGP grid in 2027. With the new regulations inbound, it’s a smart move.
After being reminded that new deals have been announced over a year in advance in the past, Domenicali added, “Everything is not always so simple because it also depends on the moment, because things can be done while others can’t sometimes.
“Certainly, there’s a common will, but it’s still a bit early, and we don’t have all the elements to be able to tick all the boxes.”
Does this stat prove Marc Marquez is the GOAT?
Claudio Domenicali also revealed how Marc Marquez has tweaked their philosophy by being so dominant in 2025
Another question that the Ducati CEO was asked during his press conference regarded who they would potentially replace the nine-time Grand Prix world champion with, given their roster of young riders who are contracted to Borgo Panigale.
Domenicali replied, “Our philosophy is to help develop young riders, for example, as we did with Pecco and [Jorge] Martin, without forgetting [Fermin] Aldeguer.
“At the same time, we’re open to everything, since we won with Marc this year.”
Aldeguer has been tipped to be ‘the future of Ducati’ by Luigi Dall’Igna already, and was unlucky to miss out on receiving a factory bike for his sophomore season in MotoGP.
Instead, those royalties went to Alex Marquez, as a reward for his impressive performances on the way to clinching the runners-up spot in the riders’ championship.
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