Chicho Lorenzo has said that Marc Marquez could be forced to retire from MotoGP earlier than expected due to his injury record.
Marquez hasn’t picked up a Grand Prix win in the opening two rounds of the 2026 season, though he has looked good in the Sprint Races. He finished second and first in Sprints at Thailand and Brazil, but didn’t finish the main race in Thailand before coming fourth in Brazil.
This start has led some to believe 2026 could be his last season, especially given how often he’s dealt with injuries over the past few years.
No agreement has been reached yet for Marquez to race in 2027, when new regulations come into effect. Reports suggest Marquez is only interested in signing a one-year deal, which Ducati isn’t keen on.
Chicho Lorenzo believes Marc Marquez may be forced into early retirement
Speaking to Motosan, Chicho Lorenzo shared his thoughts on Marquez’s future and suggested that recent injuries might push the Ducati rider towards an earlier-than-expected retirement.
Lorenzo thinks Marquez will eventually face a decision that won’t sit well with his fans, feeling he could be pushed out of the sport by the shoulder injury he picked up late in the 2025 season.
“Last year he dominated. What’s changed from last year to this year? Aprilia has taken a huge step forward. And Márquez’s shoulder isn’t right, and he’s a year older,” Lorenzo said. “Sooner or later, there’s going to be a moment – he says so himself, something his fans don’t accept. He says that in the end, all athletes are forced to retire, that they don’t last forever.”
“What I do believe is that after that title last year, after proving to himself that he was capable of winning again, after doing it the way he did, he had a dip in form. Perhaps that’s when he was in the worst possible position at that moment, and he still hasn’t recovered. But he’s the one who has to say about the decline.”
Can Marquez bounce back in Texas?
This weekend’s MotoGP action shifts to the Circuit of the Americas, a track where Marc Marquez has an incredible history, especially during his peak years.
The Spaniard picked up seven wins at COTA between 2013 and 2021 but hasn’t stood on the top step there since that final victory three years ago.
Last year, Marquez won the Sprint Race in Texas but crashed out while leading the main event, opening the door for Francesco Bagnaia to claim his first Grand Prix win at the circuit.
“I would never underestimate Marquez. In my opinion, he’s managing himself, both physically and mentally, and above all, he doesn’t want to make mistakes”, Petrucci said after being asked if Marquez is currently in crisis.
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