Marc Marquez drops “lost many things” money hint to kickstart Ducati revival

Marc Marquez says he “lost many things” in joining the Ducati fold with Gresini Racing last year, but without that leading the MotoGP standings in 2025 “would be impossible”.

Between his debut in 2013 and 2019, the 32-year-old won six premier class titles in seven years with Honda.

His career was derailed at the start of the 2020 season when a badly broken right arm in a crash at the Spanish Grand Prix necessitated four major operations over the next few years.

As his fitness improved, Honda’s form dipped, with Marc Marquez ultimately ending his lucrative factory HRC deal a year early to take on a satellite Ducati at Gresini for the 2024 campaign.

That switch reinvigorated Marquez, who won three grands prix, finished third in the championship and forced Ducati into promoting him to its factory team and lose eventual world champion Jorge Martin to Aprilia.

After 10 rounds of the 2025 season, Marquez has won eight sprints and six grands prix to hold a 68-point lead in the championship.

Marc Marquez reflects on MotoGP career revival

Recently referring to 2025 as “one of my best moments”, he was asked after winning the Dutch Grand Prix if he favours his pre-injury career or where he is now.

“I mean, I cannot choose because the first years in MotoGP were amazing,” he said.

“But as I’ve said sometimes, my biggest challenge, my most difficult challenge of my career, was to come back from that injury.

“I bet on myself. I lost many things, just to understand if I was competitive.

“For me, the most important year of my career was last year with the Gresini team because it was when I made the decision.

“Then everything arrived.

“But last year was a crucial year in my career coming back from that injury, because without that year it would be impossible to wear the red leather suit and lead the championship.”

Marquez was thought to be on €25 million per season under the four-year Honda deal he signed in the winter of 2020, while it was rumoured he did not take a salary when he joined Gresini.

His move to Gresini also saw him unable to take with him lifelong crew chief Santi Hernandez, while his factory Ducati step forced him to end his ties with major personal sponsor Red Bull.

Marquez’s victory at the 2025 Dutch Grand Prix was his 68th in the premier class, drawing him level with Giacomo Agostini in second on the all-time winners’ list.

Only great foe Valentino Rossi’s has more at 89.