Marc Marquez Clarifies Why He Turned Down Ducati Contract Clause
Marc Marquez, one of the most famous names in the world of MotoGP, has recently revealed his reasons for rejecting a contract clause offered by Ducati. This decision, which surprised many sports fans and analysts, was based on clear and strategic reasons. Marquez moves next year from Gresini to the official Ducati team, a move that is already highly anticipated.
Ducati first offered Jorge Martini, from the Pramac team, the coveted spot in the factory team. However, this offer came with a special condition: if Marquez wins this year’s championship, he will automatically be promoted to the official team and replace Martin. While Martin accepted these terms, Marquez chose not to. But why did he make this decision?
Marquez explained to AS that the main reason for his refusal was related to the issue of level track conditions. “If you have to win [place] on the track, you have to have the same weapons,” he said. Currently, Marquez races last year’s Ducati for Gresini, while Martin and his rivals, Pecco Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini, have the latest machines. According to Marquez, this disparity makes a direct comparison of performance unfair.
Furthermore, Marquez emphasized that he was not willing to switch from one satellite team to another. “Another thing is that I have been very clear that I will not move from one satellite team to another,” he said. For Marquez, the move to the factory team should represent a significant progression, not a simple lateral repositioning within the team structure.
Another important point mentioned by Marquez is his contractual obligations with sponsors. As a top-level athlete, he has contracts with sponsors that accompany him throughout his career and that have their own requirements and deadlines. “Athletes not only have sports contracts but also contracts with sponsors who have followed me throughout my career, and a multinational closes in September for the next two years, and I cannot wait. It was impossible,” he explained.
Marquez’s decision not to accept the clause forced Ducati to rethink its initial approach. This led to a strategic change that guaranteed Marquez a direct transition to the official Ducati team, without the need for intermediate conditions.
With Martin currently leading this year’s title race, the dynamics of the championship have taken on a new layer of complexity. Marquez’s move to the official Ducati team in 2025 and Martin’s upcoming move to Aprilia promise to keep MotoGP fans on the lookout for moves on and off the tracks. The next chapter of this exciting MotoGP saga has just begun, and Marc Marquez is in the spotlight as always.
