Marc Marquez and the specter of retirement: "I'll retire sooner

Marc Marquez has taken another step toward recovery after the right shoulder injury he suffered on October 5 during the Indonesian Grand Prix. One hundred days after the incident, he returned to the track at the Aspar Circuit in Guadassuar (Valencia), thus completing a critical phase in his preparation for the 2026 MotoGP season. The world champion is also taking advantage of this winter break to give a few interviews and share some behind-the-scenes insights into his thinking...

In front of the cameras of the Spanish program "El Objetivo," the Ducati rider addressed several topics. In the coming weeks, he will announce his contract renewal with the Emilia-based manufacturer, at least until 2028. A return to Honda seems unlikely, an option therefore postponed to the end of his career. It’s impossible to make predictions when racing on two wheels, with injuries always lurking around the corner. This is demonstrated by the recent injury to Fermin Aldeguer, who was training on track with Marc Marquez and Michele Pirro.

The nine-time world champion, now nearing 33, has begun to consider a possible retirement from MotoGP. "The hardest thing for an athlete is knowing when and how to retire, and how long to keep fighting," said #93. "I already know I’ll retire earlier, because my body will push me more than my mind... I’ll have to understand how my body behaves each year, because mentally I’m like a rocket."

In recent months Marc Marquez has expressed the desire to become a father soon. Who knows if his child will one day want to become a rider because of the “weight” of the legacy. "I wouldn’t like it," the Catalan emphasized. "I think of them and I can’t help but say: ‘poor boy or poor girl.’ My legacy would be a heavy burden. Carrying my surname wouldn’t help them at all. Clearly, they would have advantages, for example financial ones. They wouldn’t lack anything, but if you don’t lack anything, you don’t have the same hunger."

In the same interview with Ana Pastor, the MotoGP class champion also talked about how he deals with rivals. In the last championship he had to contend with his brother Alex, who finished second, although he wasn’t overly worried by him. The two sat down after the first race and spoke plainly: "I told him: ‘I have to tell you something: this year it looks like we’re going to go head-to-head. I’ll overtake you, you’ll overtake me, we’ll fight it out on the final laps and, if something happens, tomorrow we’ll still be brothers’."

Very diplomatic when it comes to discussing the rivalry with Valentino Rossi. "All I want to say is to respect everyone. Living with resentment is very difficult, so I don’t want my fans to hold a grudge," concluded Marc Marquez. "Save your energy to applaud me."