Marc Marquez has made an honest admission that ‘there were times’ he did not want to return to the MotoGP paddock after his injuries.
Marquez, 33, will forever be regarded as one of the greatest riders in MotoGP history, having won the premier class title on seven occasions.
Despite his numerous records and titles, Marquez has suffered multiple injuries throughout his illustrious career.
One of his main injuries was in his troublesome shoulder, which has been operated on several times, including earlier this year following his huge crash during the French Grand Prix Sprint.
However, Marquez has since made an impressive return, securing back-to-back victories in Hungary and Czechia before a disappointing seventh-place finish in the Netherlands last time out.
If you remove the injuries, how many titles would Marc Marquez have won? 🏆
Marc Marquez admits he associated the MotoGP paddock with ‘pain’
Speaking recently in an interview, Marquez revealed that ‘there were times’ he did not want to set foot in the MotoGP paddock.
The 33-year-old admitted that he associated the MotoGP paddock with the ‘pain’ he suffered during his career.
He went on to state that he is proud to have won the number of titles he has won in his time in the sport and an extra one would not ‘change’ his life.
The Ducati rider also made it crystal clear that the goal for the remainder of his career is simply to ‘enjoy’ and prevent being ‘burned out’ by MotoGP.
As reported by Motorsport Espana, Marquez said to DAZN: “There were times when I didn’t want to walk into the paddock because I associated it with pain.
“I’d be incredibly proud to win a 10th title, but whether I retire with nine or 10 championships won’t change my life.
“What I want is to finish my career enjoying racing. I don’t want to end up burned out by MotoGP.”
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Following the latest round in the Netherlands, where Ai Ogura took victory ahead of Raul Fernandez and Jorge Martin, the title race is heating up.
Aprilia star Marco Bezzecchi crashed out during the race, which meant Martin is now the new leader of the world championship standings.
Meanwhile, Marquez is now 40 points behind Martin as he currently sits fifth with 153 points, having scored two wins and two podiums so far this season.
Although he has played down his chances of winning the title, it can be said that Marquez will be in a strong position to fight for the MotoGP crown, having displayed impressive performances since his return from injury.
It was also recently confirmed that Marquez will continue racing for Ducati in 2027 and 2028, having signed a new contract with the team. Upon Francesco Bagnaia’s departure, current KTM star Pedro Acosta will replace the Italian.
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