2019 teamphotos behindthescenes marquez 00228 scaled

Could Marc Marquez switch to Ducati?

12. August 2023

2 min read

2023 is a "Silly Season", which means that many rider contracts expire and there is accordingly speculation about which riders will ride in which team next year. This is currently evident, especially with the bad Honda fueling speculation that Marc Marquez could switch despite having an existing contract until the end of 2024.

KTM and Marquez: The rumors so far

Up until now, Marquez has often been rumored as a possible candidate for KTM, who are currently looking for two more slots in the premier class as they have promised Pedro Acosta a place in MotoGP for 2024, but their four current bikes are already spoken for.

Most recently, however, it was said that KTM has no interest in Marquez.

Marquez and Ducati: a possible switch?

Marc Márquez, the former world champion had a disappointing time at Honda, but rumors of a possible switch to Ducati have been raised. These have been reinforced by comments from Stefan Pierer, CEO of Pierer Mobility, who suggested that Márquez’s team has been in frequent contact with KTM. So it stands to reason that talks are also being held with Ducati.

The financial: the biggest catch?

The catch in a possible deal with Márquez could be the salary. Currently, he is said to receive a handsome 15-20 million euros at Honda. By comparison, champion Bagnaia’s salary at Ducati is an estimated 3.5 million euros. Would Márquez be willing to accept a drop in salary for a change? And how does this fit into Ducati’s budget planning for 2024, which includes a 10% cut anyway?

Ducati’s current position

Despite these unanswered questions, Ducati’s sporting director Ciabatti stresses that they are not currently considering signing Márquez. They have their eyes firmly on Bezzecchi. But in the fast-moving world of MotoGP, things can change in a flash.

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