Marco Bezzecchi
Marc Marquez is now causing a delay in the MotoGP rider market, as Honda are firmly in the back of his mind during negotiations with Ducati about a new contract for 2027.
The 33-year-old is out of contract in Borgo Panigale at the end of the 2026 MotoGP season, but he is widely expected to agree to fresh terms after winning the 2025 title in record time. Marquez won the 2025 MotoGP title with five rounds to spare during his first year at Ducati.
Ducati even saw Marquez win 11 Grands Prix and 14 Sprint Races over the 18 rounds that he entered last year. But the Spaniard has yet to put pen to paper on a new deal that would see him lead the Bologna Bullets in the 2027 MotoGP regulations despite being Ducati’s priority.
It has been reported that Marquez has already agreed to sign a new contract with Ducati for not only 2027 but also 2028. Ducati have also been expected to confirm his new contract for some time. Yet The Race reports that Marquez is playing ‘hardball’ to include an exit clause.
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Marc Marquez is pushing Ducati for a 1+1 year contract to keep his Honda return dream alive
Despite Marquez’s new Ducati contract seemingly being the most likely deal to be agreed in the build-up to the 2026 campaign, the Cervera native has still yet to sign it as he is pushing the Borgo Panigale outfit to make it an initial one-year deal with the option to stay for 2028.
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Ducati bosses would prefer Marquez to sign MotoGP’s standard two-year contract to stay at the Italian factory through at least 2028. However, Marquez will not rush into committing to Ducati through 2028, as doing so may jeopardise his long-time dream of returning to Honda.
Marquez left Honda at the end of 2023 to join Gresini, as he felt he had to ride a Ducati from 2024 to prove to himself that he could still compete at the very top. Honda have since made ‘rapid improvements’, which has meant re-signing for Ducati is not that simple for Marquez.
Honda are still trying to sign Marc Marquez for their 2027 MotoGP rider line-up
Honda are still making last-ditch efforts to sign Marquez for 2027, with claims an offer worth more than €20m (£17.5m) a year being made. But Marquez is most likely to sign a new deal with Ducati for 2027, as he is more confident in them starting the 850cc regulations era well.
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Japanese giant Honda are expected to sign Yamaha rider Fabio Quartararo for 2027. But the chance to welcome Marquez back to the team he won six of his seven MotoGP titles with is possible, as Luca Marini and Joan Mir are both out of contract at Honda at the end of 2026.
It remains to be seen whether Honda would keep a seat free for Marquez to potentially take over in 2028, if Ducati agree to his demands of a 1+1 year contract instead of a straight two-year deal. It is possible that Marquez views his 2028 contract being his final deal in MotoGP.
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