Marc Marquez rejecting Ducati’s offer of new contract to return to Honda from the 2027 MotoGP season is still a very real possibility for some figures in the paddock.
Ducati and Marquez are currently negotiating the conditions for a new contract beyond this season, as the seven-time premier class champion is set to be a free agent at the end of the year. Yet while Marquez was expected to sign a fresh deal by now, an impasse has emerged.
It was suggested back in February that Marquez has already signed a new contract at Ducati through 2028, as the Borgo Panigale natives strive to lock down their best rider entering the 850cc regulations. But it is now said that Marquez is pushing Ducati for a 1+1-year contract.
Marquez has confirmed that he asked Ducati to wait for him to be ready to sign a new deal, as he is still recovering from last October’s surgery on his shoulder injury. It is also said that Marquez is reluctant to sign Ducati’s two-year contract offer in case their 850cc bike is slow.
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Honda’s interest in Tech3 is keeping alive the idea of Marc Marquez returning in 2027
A return to Honda might even be another aspect playing on Marquez’s mind while he delays agreeing to a new contract for Ducati. It was reported this February that Honda have offered Marquez more than €20m (£17.5m) to re-join the Tokyo crew on a two-year deal from 2027.
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Now, MOW reports that while some believe that Marquez has indeed already signed a new contract for Ducati and that the Bologna Bullets only need to officially announce the deal, a return to Honda for the 33-year-old next season is ‘still quite real’ for others in the paddock.
Honda’s interest in Tech3 becoming their second satellite team from 2027 is also helping to keep alive the idea of Marquez returning after three seasons away. Honda want to have six factory-spec bikes at the start of the 850cc era, so are looking to tempt Tech3 to leave KTM.
Tech3 accepting Honda’s offer would allow the Japanese brand to bring Marquez back next year by having an alternative home for Moto2 talent David Alonso. It is said that Honda are signing Alonso and Fabio Quartararo for 2027, but that would change if Marquez re-joined.
Honda would have to secure a second satellite squad for them to award Alonso his MotoGP debut in 2027 if Marquez were to return. It is an open secret that Quartararo has agreed to join Honda from Yamaha, while Diogo Moreira and Johann Zarco both hold contracts at LCR.
Money alone is unlikely to swing Marquez towards returning to Honda or committing to sign a new contract for Ducati. So, should the Cervera native have a return to Honda in his mind, Ducati may need to convince Marquez that their 850cc bike will be his best option for 2027.
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