Seven-time MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez has said he will retire early, as he believes his body will drive him more than his mind in the coming years.
The Ducati rider won 11 Moto GP races and 14 sprint races last season and won his seventh championship title in the premier class.
Due to a hand injury, he missed the last four races, and enters the upcoming season as a favorite.
There is a lot of talk about his future in competition, as his contract with Ducati expires at the end of the year.
"The hardest thing for an athlete is knowing when and how to retire and how long to continue. I already know that I will retire early, as my body will push me more than my mind. We play a sport where there are injuries, and it was good until this last phase," Marquez told La Sexta television.
"I'll have to understand every year what state my body is in, because mentally I'm like a rocket," added the 32-year-old Marquez.
He recently said that he hopes to become a father soon, but that he would not want his child to be involved in racing because of the burden of his legacy.
"I wouldn't like that. I think about them and I can't help but say 'poor boy or girl'. My legacy would be a big burden to them. I don't know how protective I would be because I like to be protective. Carrying my last name wouldn't help them at all," he said.
"It's clear that they would also have some advantages, financial for example. They wouldn't lack anything, but if you don't lack anything, you don't have the same hunger," added Marques.
The Moto GP championship season begins on March 1, 2026, with the Thai Grand Prix.
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