Marc Marquez could leave MotoGP at the end of next season even though his Ducati contract runs through the end of 2028. That is Carlo Pernat’s assessment: he believes the Spaniard may compete for one more year before stepping away. This is not a confirmed decision by Marquez or Ducati, but Pernat’s prediction about where the rider’s career may be heading.

Pernat also pointed to Marquez’s victory at the Malaysian Grand Prix, describing it as an almost decisive blow in the championship fight while acknowledging that the mathematics are not formally settled. In Pernat’s view, Marquez remains capable of winning as long as he stays in MotoGP, but continuing has become less appealing as the demands placed on riders continue to grow.

Pernat links that pressure to MotoGP’s new ownership by Liberty Media. He cited the Friday and Saturday activity, along with the 44 starts, as examples of a schedule that is becoming harder on riders. He said the workload is affecting their quality of life and creating risks from both a physical and mental perspective. Pernat believes Marquez wants to reach retirement in one or two years while remaining healthy.

The possibility carries extra weight for a rider who, in Pernat’s description, has been a factory rider throughout his 14-year MotoGP career. The physical toll of Marquez’s injuries, particularly those suffered from 2020 onward, is part of that calculation. Pernat has spent decades in racing, working with Gilera, Cagiva and Aprilia and managing riders including Marco Simoncelli, Tony Arbolino and Enea Bastianini.