Resilient Marc Marquez: "I don't want to burn myself out for MotoGP"

The back-to-back wins in Hungary and the Czech Republic had propelled Marc Marquez back toward the top of the MotoGP standings. Seventh place in the Netherlands has scaled back the plans of the champion from Cervera, who is dealing with the aftereffects of an injury and a season marked by highs and lows. There are another two years on his contract (just made official) with Ducati, and returning to being world champion will be a truly complicated feat for #93.

"You decide when to retire and do it at the best moment, without suffering. If you’re happy at the end of your career, you’ll want to stay in this world," said Marc Marquez on the eve of the MotoGP weekend at Assen. The Borgo Panigale manufacturer had just officially announced an extension for another two years, despite the many rumors swirling about his future and his health. But the shoulder of the Catalan superstar continues to cause problems and raise concerns. Also for this reason, Ducati’s top brass decided to sign and pair him with a premier-class ace like Pedro Acosta.

Two months ago Marquez underwent his latest surgery, the seventh since 2020, due to injuries to his right arm. He has repeatedly stated and confirmed that the operations have affected his form and shifted the balance of his limits. It’s hard to predict his future—whether he will see out the two seasons of his contract or decide to retire earlier. Now there’s another round to contest before the summer break, at the Sachsenring, one of Marc’s talisman tracks. When he returns from vacation, between rest and rehab, we’ll see how his arm and right shoulder are holding up.

One thing is certain: the suffering from numerous injuries means he’s no longer obsessed with winning a tenth world title. "I would be extremely proud if I won a tenth title, but retiring with nine or ten wouldn’t change my life." Marc Marquez’s main goal is to finish his career having fun, now sure he’ll be remembered as a ‘MotoGP Legend.’ "I don’t want to burn out because of MotoGP," he admitted in an exclusive interview with Dazn.

The bulk of his professional life’s work is done; the cherry on top might be surpassing Valentino Rossi’s nine titles. Or perhaps winning the 2025 MotoGP title with Ducati already represents Marquez’s final great mission. Time will give us the answer. But if Gigi Dall’Igna and his team have decided to bet on Marc again, then we can be sure he’ll still give us plenty of thrills.

-> Follow us on Instagram: @Corsedimoto