Marc Marquez's Physical Condition Makes him Plan to Retire

JAKARTA - Nine-time world champion Marc Marquez is starting to plan to retire early from the MotoGP racing world because of his physical condition which is increasingly vulnerable to the effects of a series of injuries he has suffered recently.

The Spanish racer is still favored to win in 2026 after his dominance last year. However, he does not want to rule out the physical problems that have begun to bother him.

"The hardest thing for an athlete is knowing when and how to retire, and how long to last," Marquez said, quoted by Crash.

The 32-year-old racer made a remarkable comeback last season. He managed to perform amazingly well on his debut with the Ducati Factory to win the MotoGP world championship title for the seventh or first time since 2019.

Marquez had entered the most gloomy period before that due to a fatal accident in 2020, which made him unable to compete at his best before deciding to leave Honda and move to Ducati.

Baby Alien immediately returned to the track and finally won the title. However, he emphasized that the decision to retire earlier was not triggered by mental fatigue but rather body endurance.

"I know I'll retire sooner because my body will force me harder than my mind. Mentally, I'm still like a rocket," he said.

Marquez remains the main favorite for the title in 2026 despite missing the last four races of last year due to injury.

However, with his contract at Ducati expiring at the end of this year and a massive regulatory change in 2027, speculation about his future continues to swirl.

In addition to racing affairs, Marquez has also started to think about his personal life, including the desire to become a father. Interestingly, he actually hopes that his children will not pursue a career as a professional racer.

He felt that his big name would be too heavy a burden for his son. In addition, he was worried that the financial comfort he had would erode the ambition and hunger needed to become a champion.

"Carrying my last name won't help them at all. They may have financial advantages, but if you don't lack anything, you won't have the same hunger to fight," he said.