Marco Bezzecchi
Alex Barros feels Marc Marquez could retire even if he wins the 2026 MotoGP title, as his shoulder injury and Pedro Acosta’s expected transfer to Ducati will be on his mind.
Marquez required surgery on his right shoulder in October after suffering a coracoid fracture and ligament damage after he was taken out of the Indonesian Grand Prix by Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi. The Spaniard only got back on a MotoGP bike at the Sepang test this February.
The 33-year-old has yet to fully recover from the injury, as well, which limited him at the first race of the 2026 season in Thailand. Marquez chose Ducati’s 2024 aero for 2026 due to his shoulder injury, too, as it is less physically strenuous and he cannot ride the same as before.
Barros believes the expected arrival of KTM ace Acosta at Ducati in 2027 will also be causing Marquez to consider his future in the field. It is believed that Acosta is set to join Ducati on a two-year contract to replace Francesco Bagnaia, pending Marquez also agreeing a new deal.
If you were Marc Marquez, when would you retire?
Alex Barros thinks Marc Marquez could retire in 2026 due to his shoulder injury and Pedro Acosta’s move to Ducati
Barros suspects that Marquez is already reflecting on his career in MotoGP after speaking to Jaime Alguersuari about his shoulder injury. But Acosta’s expected move to Ducati next year will also now be giving Marquez further food for thought, as he can make life “even harder”.
READ MORE: All you need to know about the Brazilian Grand Prix, including Goiania stats
Acosta’s expected move to Ducati might even make Marquez question whether it is worth it to continue racing in MotoGP for what would be his 15th season, even if he were to win his eighth title to date this term. Barros feels Marquez already has enough to walk away happy.
Barros told Mundo Deportivo: “Marc is doing well, but he’s getting older. Even at 33, he’s doing well, but Marquez is currently dealing with a lot of injuries.
“I spoke with Jaime Alguersuari and before the start of the World Championship, he told me the accident Marquez had at the end of last year with Bezzecchi has made him reflect because he was hurt by another rider, which can happen
“But with all the titles he has, the money he’s earned in his career, the fantastic woman he’s found as a partner, his age and the increasing difficulty he has to make each year, sacrificing more and more, and dealing with the pain and difficulties, if Marquez wins the title this year, even if he signs the contract stating he’ll race more with Ducati, it will surely have a clause that will make him think, ‘Why continue for another year?’
“Having Pedro Acosta as a teammate, and knowing there’s a young guy so eager to succeed, will make things even harder.
“That means more accidents, pushing himself to the limit all the time, and him facing increasing difficulties each year. Is it worth continuing? It’s a very personal decision. There are times in a career, in life, when we get older, and priorities change.”
Alex Barros thinks Marc Marquez may need another six months to recover 100% from his shoulder injury
Barros has highlighted Marquez’s shoulder injury as one of the factors that might ultimately see the Spaniard decide to retire this season, as it could take him another six months to fully recover. He does not feel it is possible that Marquez can hit 100% fitness in less than a year.
“The shoulder is something that takes a long time to recover from,” Barros continued. “He won’t be 100% for at least a year, no matter how much physiotherapy he does.
Who is going to win the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix?
Let us know why in the comments!
“You might get to 90% in six months, and then it will take more than six months to get back to 100%. But it will never be like new.
“It’s like a tyre, like an inner tube when it gets a puncture. We fix it, it’s fine, but it’s not new – it has its wear and tear, its elasticity, and all of that takes its toll.
“The rider suffers, he suffers, and then, of course, with a year that’s more difficult, with more competition, with more riders challenging him, he has to reach a higher level.”
Marquez admits he feels his shoulder injury has cost him the “fluidity” he had last year, with the damage he suffered from rolling through Mandalika’s gravel traps after the collision with Bezzecchi preventing the Cervera native from riding as naturally as he did whilst dominating.
The seven-time MotoGP champion won his latest title with a record five rounds to spare due to taking 11 Grand Prix wins and 14 Sprint Race victories from the 18 rounds he contested in his first term with Ducati. Now, Marquez needs to try to force results when he is not fully fit.
Receive racing news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
