Ducati-Marquez, the contract renewal wasn’t easy: Grassilli reveals the backstory

Ducati did everything possible to bring Marc Marquez into the factory box, win back the MotoGP title after the successes of Bagnaia and Martin, and keep him close. The official announcement of the contract renewal arrived on June 23, but the negotiation was long and not easy. Also tracking the nine-time world champion was his former team Honda, but Borgo Panigale got the deal over the line.

The phenomenon from Cervera will race in Ducati colors through the end of the 2028 season. Both Marc Marquez and the Emilia-based squad intended to continue together, after clinching the 2025 world title. But it took a long time to reach a mutual and official agreement, because the injury suffered last year at Mandalika caused more than a few problems. The arm pain kept (and keeps) afflicting #93, to the point there was even talk of a possible early farewell to MotoGP. Before signing, it was necessary to ensure he was at the top of his form to keep fighting at the front of the premier class. Marc is not an athlete who settles for mere appearances on track—either you win or you walk away.

The Ducati Corse sporting director Mauro Grassilli explained the process that led to the renewal. It started with the split from Pecco Bagnaia, after a particularly difficult 2025 season, with the Piedmontese rider repeatedly making “heavy” statements about the Emilia-based manufacturer. The lack of results and certain remarks made in public pushed Ducati to pivot to Pedro Acosta. But the priority was to lock down the multi-time champion Marc Marquez. "Our goal is always to secure the world champion for the next contract period as quickly as possible. That’s what we did with Pecco, right after winning the title in 2023."

With the Spanish superstar, it took more time. "For us it was much easier to sign the first contract with Marc," Grassilli added. "When he moved from Gresini to Ducati Lenovo at the end of 2024, everything went smoothly. The situation last winter was anything but easy. I’ll be honest, we didn’t have a Plan B. As for Marc, we did everything possible to continue with him and for months Ducati stood by its commitment."

Had Marc Marquez handed in his resignation for health reasons, the champion would have disappeared from the MotoGP scene—for everyone. Fortunately, team director Gigi Dall’Igna had four arrows in his quiver: Di Giannantonio, Alex Marquez, Aldeguer, and Bulega. Things changed with the double win in Hungary; it was clear Marc hadn’t lost the hunger to win. The champion’s signature then became a formality, and the Borgo Panigale management could breathe a sigh of relief. Subsequent triumphs in the Czech Republic and Germany removed any doubt: he remains the clear favorite for the World Championship and could surpass Valentino Rossi’s tally of 9 by winning his tenth title...

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