Marco Bezzecchi
Marc Marquez’s long-term future is being thrown into uncertainty, but Mat Oxley thinks that this talk will ‘inspire’ the Ducati rider to prove doubters wrong.
The Ant of Cervera is out of contract in 2026, but it is widely believed that Marquez has extended with Ducati for another two years. However, the length of the deal is disputed, and no official announcement has been made.
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Ducati want the defending champion to commit to a two-year deal until 2028, but he has hesitated over the decision due to his physical condition. Marquez suffered significant damage to his right shoulder in Indonesia last year, and he is still struggling with it now.
With no Grand Prix podiums in 2026 thus far, Marquez has admitted he is the problem, not his GP26, as he is not at 100% fitness. This, combined with the ambiguity of his contract, has left the door open for a possible retirement from MotoGP.
Mat Oxley thinks Marc Marquez will be inspired to prove people wrong amid retirement claims
Chicho Lorenzo thinks Marquez may be ‘forced’ into retirement due to his injuries. The Spaniard has taken some serious knocks in his career, and he will certainly be treading with caution after his latest incident.
Marquez has been open about wanting to avoid being uncompetitive, hence why he wants to sign a 1+1-year deal with Ducati and see how things go in 2027. He is clearly considering his future in MotoGP, but Oxley does not think the talk about retirement will get to him.
Writing in his column for MotorSport Magazine, he believes that these conversations ‘will only inspire Márquez whenever he has moments of doubt’. The Spaniard certainly has those moments, but Oxley reckons he will have the ‘desire to prove people wrong’.
He adds: “This is the f— you spirit that’s at the heart of all great bike racers, a raging stubbornness that makes them want to make the doubters eat their words.
“It’s always been thus: John Surtees, the only racer to win both the MotoGP and Formula 1 car titles, attributed his success – and that of his racer dad – to the inherent Surtees family cussedness.”
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As Oxley notes, Marquez has said that he wants to race in the 850cc era, which starts in 2027. The Ducati rider believes that the new bikes will ‘reward rider talent more’ than the current generation.
However, he will be aware that he will be replaced one day. In fact, Fermin Aldeguer is being lined up by Ducati to take Marquez’s place in the event he retires – when that day will be is currently unknown.
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One thing that is clear, however, is that Marquez will not stay in the sport solely to win more titles. He is one premier class championship away from beating Valentino Rossi, and two away from Giacomo Agostini’s record, but he is not bothered by achieving such things.
He said: “I don’t think it’s good to have obsessions. If you have an obsession for something, you won’t manage things in a correct way and you will not achieve what you want to achieve.
“If you always think about something, it’s a distraction, a negative distraction, and you will make incorrect decisions.”
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