Marc Márquez renews with Ducati until 2028

Marc Márquez, the reigning MotoGP world champion, will continue as the flagship rider for Ducati's project for another two seasons. The 33-year-old Spanish rider has just signed his renewal with the Italian manufacturer, which has brought him back joy and glory on the bike. The agreement extends his current contract, which was set to expire at the end of 2026, through the conclusion of the 2028 season.

The deal was finalized before the summer break and amidst a rider market shaken by regulatory changes promising a fresh start in the premier class for the upcoming season. Márquez places his trust in Borgo Panigale's work ethic and the technical brilliance of engineer Gigi Dall’Igna, the category's technical guru and the architect of Ducati's dominance over the last five years. It is difficult to bet against their six consecutive constructors' championships since 2020.

After a challenging physical and sporting period with Honda, Márquez rediscovered his winning form immediately upon riding an updated Ducati from the Gresini team in 2024, ending a 1,000-day win drought. Last year, during his remarkable return to the top, already in official Ducati red, the rider from Cervera dominated the competition with 25 victories in 17 events – 14 in Saturday's sprint races and 11 in Sunday's Grand Prix races.

The announcement follows Márquez's two victories this season. His start to the championship in the Thai GP on March 1 was somewhat hesitant, as the world champion struggled physically until he realized that discomfort from his latest right arm surgery was hindering his performance. Last year, just a week after securing his seventh premier class title in late September in Japan, Márquez suffered a fracture of the bone and ligaments in his right collarbone, requiring surgery – his seventh procedure on the limb in five years. This past winter, he once again had to forgo his vacation to accelerate his recovery and be in the best possible condition for the start of his title defense. However, complications arose again. Despite these setbacks, his recent triumphs and the recent struggles of his rivals have placed him back in contention for the title. He currently trails the leader, Marco Bezzecchi, by 40 points.