Marc Marquez stuns the rider market: "I can't sign if I'm injured"

At the Chang International Circuit in Buriram, the stage for the final winter test of the MotoGP class, market plots are thickening. Pecco Bagnaia has hinted that he will leave Ducati at the end of the Championship to embrace the Aprilia project from 2027. Marc Marquez’s renewal is delayed, and he seems to be finding a trivial excuse to justify the lack of an official announcement.

Marc Marquez returned to his Desmosedici in Sepang at the beginning of February, after a four-month break due to the injury sustained in Indonesia in 2025. The reigning MotoGP champion tested his physical condition and seemed satisfied, despite some fatigue in the right shoulder that was operated on again. Upon arriving in Buriram, he had to deal with stomach issues; he felt tired and disoriented. Despite the setback, he set the second-best lap on Saturday, just over a tenth off the top time recorded by his brother Alex Marquez.

This Sunday the preseason ends and next weekend a new MotoGP season will begin, the last for the 1000cc engines. Many riders would like to have their future clear before the start, first and foremost a world champion like Marc. But for now, everything is quiet, even though there’s a feeling that announcements will come soon. A key point of discussion is whether the nine-time world champion will sign a one- or two-year contract with Ducati.

"We’re working on this together with Ducati. Obviously, they’d like me to sign for two years. But for me, the priority was to start the pre-season and feel better and better," said the Cervera rider after the first day of testing in Thailand. "I feel like I’ve made a small step between the test in Malaysia and Buriram. We’ll see if my physical condition keeps improving. Today I felt a small improvement in the shoulder. If tomorrow I feel another improvement, then signing a two-year contract won’t be a problem."

Therefore, the decision on whether it will be a one-year or two-year contract will depend on many factors... not just physical health. "This is the most important thing. I’ve always said: ‘When you’re injured, you can’t make a decision and you can’t sign a contract’," added the 33-year-old from Cervera. "I wanted to understand how my injury was evolving. I have the feeling it’s making progress. There’s still a lot to do, but we’re on the right track with Ducati."

At 33, he’s one of the oldest riders in the MotoGP class. Is it getting hard to find motivation after so many seasons as a superstar? "To be honest, it’s not getting harder for me because of my age, but because of the injuries," replied Marc Marquez. "Mentally I still feel young, but the numerous injuries drain me more and more. It takes longer to recover. For this reason, this winter was very long too. But we’re working on it and after the Thailand GP we still have two weeks to recover."

On day one in Buriram he had two crashes, fortunately without consequences. The work is focused mainly on aerodynamics, and by the first Grand Prix a choice must be made on which aero package to homologate. The new ride-height adjustment device has also been approved. "That’s where, especially on corner exit, you can gain a lot. It’s difficult because we have to find the right setup," concluded Marc Marquez. "But in some corners we’re already using this new configuration."