Marco Bezzecchi
Marc Marquez is being heavily linked with a sensational return to Honda for the 2027 season, as the MotoGP regulations change and his contract with Ducati expires in 2026.
After winning the 2025 championship in style, the Ant of Cervera is committed to winning again in 2026 after he recovers from his shoulder injury sustained in Indonesia. But in 2027, like everyone else, Marquez enters the unknown as the bikes change to 850cc engines.
No one knows what the pecking order will look like at this stage, which sets up a chaotic MotoGP rider market. Marquez, among several others, has a decision to make on his future, with his contract with Ducati being up at the end of next year.
Finish the sentence: In 2027, Marc Marquez will ride for…
The Spaniard is in talks to renew his contract, but Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali admits he faces ‘an issue’ with Marquez’s deal. Rumours of financial problems in Borgo Panigale could hamper them, especially when Marquez reportedly wants a pay rise.
Such is not a problem for Honda, who are plotting an ambitious move to bring the 32-year-old, who won six titles with them in the 2010s, back to their garage. Honda have already spoken to Marquez, and he is now considering his options.
Marc Marquez is ‘attracted’ to Honda in 2027 on the condition they are competitive and he can win the championship
Speaking to MOW about his future and the possibility of joining Honda in 2027, he said: “For next year we’re fine, we have the fastest bike and that’s the most important thing. For 2027 and 2028, everything is up in the air; everything will open up.
“Obviously, we’ll look around a bit, as always. If I’m happy, fast, and winning, I don’t think I’ll aim to move. The number one priority is to be fast, and in the Ducati Team you can be fast. But I also have to understand many things and decide what’s best for me.
“In the end, I can tell you that, from 1 to 10, we’re at 8. But right now we’re working towards ’25 and ’26 to win. Everyone wants to win, and these will be the most important things for 2027 and 2028.
Marc Marquez on Honda in 2023
Now I’ll take two weeks to reflect. First of all because I haven’t had any time for myself: I had a very stressful November and December for… For me, given all the commitments I’ve had, they’ve been great things, but I’ve never stopped at home.
“Now I’ll spend two weeks thinking about my future and making the right decision, or at least the one that seems right for me.”
As the report states, ‘for Marquez, the goals remain two’. He wants to become the most successful rider in MotoGP history, ‘or at least to continue winning’, and do it ‘in a way that no one else can replicate’.
After Honda’s initial approach, Marquez is ‘attracted by the possibility of returning to HRC and ending his career there’. However, ‘the necessary condition’ is for Honda to be competitive again, and this has been imposed by the Spaniard and the team themselves.
READ MORE: Everything to know about Marc Marquez from net worth to girlfriend
What have those closest to Marc Marquez said about him returning to Honda?
Marquez’s time at Honda was one of incredible success, but also heartbreak. While he won six titles between 2013 and 2019, his crash at Jerez in 2020 brought his dynasty to a halt, as he struggled to remain at full fitness and the team regressed.
Marquez knew he had to leave Honda after the 2023 Japanese GP, having crashed numerous times throughout the season. He wanted to win again, prompting a move to Ducati.
It turned out to be a masterstroke as the Borgo Panigale factory have given him the tools to become a nine-time champion. But now his future is up in the air, with Ducati and Honda in a ‘duel’ to sign Marquez.
Ex-crew chief Santi Hernandez would ‘welcome’ Marquez back to Honda, but stressed that he did not want to speculate. Mechanic Javi Ortiz says it would be ‘very difficult’ to return to Honda after following Marquez to Ducati, the only person from Honda to do so.
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