DOVIZIOSO EXPECTS MARQUEZ TO RACE ONE MORE YEAR AFTER A 2026 TITLE
14 Oct 2026·
Andrea Dovizioso expects Marc Marquez to race for Ducati in 2027 even if he wins this year’s MotoGP title, but believes the Spaniard may then step away rather than complete his new contract through 2028.
Marquez is two points behind championship leader Jorge Martin with five rounds remaining. A second consecutive title would be his eighth in the premier class and 10th across all categories. He has already secured six MotoGP crowns with Honda and won the 2025 championship in his first season with Ducati’s factory team, clinching it with five rounds to spare.
Ducati announced Marquez’s two-year extension in June, keeping him under contract through 2028 after he had been due to become a free agent at the end of 2026. The deal followed interest from other manufacturers, with Honda reportedly considering a reunion as MotoGP prepares to introduce 850cc machinery next season. Marquez left Honda a year before his contract expired in 2023, joining Gresini before moving to Ducati for 2025.
His future has drawn fresh speculation amid continuing problems with his right shoulder. Dovizioso, speaking on his YouTube channel, said he could not know what Marquez and his inner circle were planning. “My feeling is that if he manages to win [the title] this year, he’ll be fine – he’ll be at peace with himself – and he won’t be looking for anything else,” he said.
Dovizioso nevertheless thinks Marquez would honour at least the next season, partly out of consideration for Ducati. He expects the rider to start 2027 without the same pressure to fight for the championship, while giving the new bikes and tyres a chance. “I expect that even if he were to win it this year, he’d still race next year, but more out of respect for Ducati,” Dovizioso said. “If he’s quick, he might give it a go, but without any expectations.”
He added that Marquez’s recent tests on the new machinery had not been especially encouraging, though he cautioned that they were not a reliable guide to his prospects. Dovizioso’s impression was that 2027 could be a final season for Marquez, one he might approach simply to enjoy racing rather than chase another title.
A possible reason to stay longer would be Marquez’s connection with young rider Maximo Quiles. The Moto3 champion has said Marquez promised to “wait” for him to reach MotoGP, although Quiles is unlikely to make the premier class before 2029. That timeline may be difficult to reconcile with Marquez’s injury concerns and possible plans to retire earlier.
Journalist Cosimo Curatola said on Dovizioso’s podcast that Marquez reacted with a look of “Are you crazy?” when asked after the Indonesian Grand Prix about racing against Quiles in MotoGP one day. Quiles won the 2026 Moto3 title at Mandalika and, with 10 victories, still has a chance to surpass David Alonso’s season record of 14.