Marc Marquez's surprising career first after 2025 MotoGP title: ‘I felt empty’

Ducati’s Marc Marquez admits his 2025 MotoGP title win was the first time in his career that he “felt empty” after securing a championship.

The 32-year-old dominated the 2025 campaign with the factory Ducati squad, as he scored 11 grand prix wins and 14 sprint victories.

A run of seven successive 37-point weekends between Aragon and Hungary saw him seize control of the standings, with Marc Marquez winning the world title with five rounds to spare at the Japanese Grand Prix.

It marked his seventh premier class title, drawing him level with MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi, and was his first in six years.

Marquez's path back to winning the title was a tough one, as he faced a career-threatening injury in 2020 and two years of operations to correct it.

In 2023, he elected to quit Honda a year early as the bike proved uncompetitive, with Marquez forgoing a salary to join Gresini on an older satellite Ducati in 2024 to rediscover his competitive form.

Speaking during a premiere of a new DAZN documentary about him, Marquez told Spain’s AS that he “felt empty” after winning the title in Japan and didn’t want to ride again in Indonesia, such was the emotional release from his triumph.

“It's the first time I've won a championship and felt empty,” he admitted.

“I won in Japan and felt empty.

“In Indonesia, I didn't feel like getting on the bike, and in the other championships, I would win and think, ‘Where's the next one? I want to win them again.’

Despite this, Marquez insists he has not lost any of his drive to fight for the world championship again in 2026.

“This winter I will work to recover and, this hasn't gone away, to have the hunger to win again,” he said.

Marquez suffered a complicated shoulder injury in a collision triggered by Marco Bezzecchi on the opening lap of the Indonesian Grand Prix.

He required an operation on the injury a week after the Indonesian Grand Prix, which led to his withdrawal from the remainder of the 2025 season.

Marquez revealed in a behind-the-scenes video from Ducati that he asked his doctors about riding in the post-season Valencia test.

However, he was advised against it as a crash would aggravate the injury.