Marc Marquez puts the brakes on his renewal: "I asked Ducati for one clear thing"

In Thailand, Marc Marquez falls short in his bid for a first win in the 2026 MotoGP championship, but he knows he’s still the favorite. While awaiting the next round in Brazil, there’s still the contract issue to resolve. His signing with Ducati has seemed a foregone conclusion for some time, but there are still a few details to iron out. Money, duration, or technical aspects—no one knows for sure. But there’s still something not quite right in reaching an agreement with the Borgo Panigale factory.

Although the MotoGP rider market is in full swing, the nine-time world champion has decided to set his own pace with the Ducati factory team. With a contract in force until the end of 2026, negotiations are already underway to extend the partnership through 2028, but the Catalan rider has put the brakes on any immediate signing for now. Marc Marquez says he’s thrilled with the Desmosedici, but he has set a non-negotiable condition before committing to another two years with the Red.

Officially, the Cervera rider wants to be sure of his physical condition first. In Buriram he was still not at his best after last year’s crash at Mandalika. He underwent another surgery on his right shoulder, the one he injured back in 2021 at Jerez and that kept him subdued for four seasons. It’s not a matter of money, that’s certain. But there’s something else that likely remains under tight wraps. Perhaps his real clinical status?

The reigning MotoGP champion was very direct in explaining why he hasn’t signed the contract extension yet. "Renewing with Ducati is positive for both parties. We’re both happy, but I asked Ducati for one clear thing: ‘I want to get started, I don’t want to sign anything while I’m injured… You don’t know what 100% is. You often ask me: ‘Are you at 100%?’. I don’t know what my 100% is. After every injury, 100% drops, sometimes by 1% and other times by 20%."

Number #93 shows calm and confidence as he waits for the Brazilian Grand Prix, which will come three weeks after the first race weekend already held. It’s a crucial test that could give the green light to signing the contract. Many wonder if it will be his final contract, hinting at a career finale at the top. "Retiring is one of the hardest things for an athlete. Knowing when, how, and why. It’s something I’ll feel in the future, whether near or far."

This MotoGP season didn’t start in the best way, despite a second place in the Thailand Sprint. A missed win due to a questionable decision by Race Direction. Then the misfortune of a puncture in Sunday’s race that forced him to retire. Marc Marquez isn’t complaining: "It seems like the weekend was a disaster because of what happened on Sunday. But we started second on the grid, we finished second in the Sprint, and on Sunday, if it hadn’t been for what happened, we would have been on the podium. We have to keep building to take another step forward and try to reach the same level as last year."