MotoGP Rider Market: Marc Marquez Kicks Things Off

Marc Marquez faces a winter focused on fully recovering his right arm. The goal is to be in top shape for the MotoGP winter tests and defend the world title. These will be decisive months to kick off the rider market, and much will depend on the choices of the Ducati champion.

The nine-time world champion wants to grow his trophy cabinet after proving he can still be number one. "Fighting for the world championship is my goal," Marc Marquez told MotoGP’s official channel. And that’s why he describes the next season as "an interesting 2026, not only on track." Words that could send shivers through the Borgo Panigale camp, or simply psychological pressure to raise the stakes...

One thing is certain: he’ll try to attack for a tenth world title aboard the Desmosedici. "In the end, I’m at Ducati, I have the best bike and I’m in the best team." But the Spaniard is a bit more concerned about a "one-of-a-kind" season that, for some, has already begun. And even if that’s not Marc’s situation, it doesn’t mean he isn’t thinking about it. "This will be the most complex market of my entire MotoGP career, because until now the rules have never changed—only the tires or other details."

Ducati will surely make a major financial effort to lock down the superstar. But 2027 remains a question mark for everyone; choosing will be like taking a leap into the void. "Right now it’s hard to know which will be the best bike or which will be the best project for you," Marc Marquez emphasized. That said, the Emilia-based brand may have started earlier than anyone on the 2027 MotoGP prototype. No one will be able to promise the best bike; once again, the Cervera phenomenon will do what he always does: "You have to follow your instinct."

According to some, the rider market has already begun. Pedro Acosta is said to have signed with a Ducati satellite team, Fabio Quartararo seems tired of continuing with Yamaha and is looking for new motivation. Several months ago Honda tried to bring Jorge Martin into the garage, but it wasn’t possible to close the deal a year early. Fabio Di Giannantonio’s continuation with VR46 remains in serious doubt, as he’s not part of Valentino Rossi’s Academy. The same can be said for Alex Rins, who has remained in the shadows throughout his post-Suzuki career. Finally, it remains to be seen whether the marriage between Ducati and Pecco Bagnaia will continue, with Aprilia watching from the sidelines... The weeks leading up to the start of the 2026 MotoGP World Championship promise plenty of twists and turns.