MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez reflects on 'difficult decision' to switch Honda for Ducati in inspiring comeback story after arm injury
By Rhys Jones
Updated 23/12/2025 at 17:42 GMT
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An emotional and stirring new documentary from TNT Sports chronicles the incredible, multi-year comeback of MotoGP legend Marc Marquez. An arm injury in 2020 disrupted his career for several years, and the Spaniard opens up about the difficult decision to switch from Honda to Ducati, which eventually led to his seventh MotoGP title, in the 2025 season.
2025 world champion Marc Marquez wins MotoGP award
Video credit: TNT Sports
MotoGP legend Marc Marquez has reflected on the circumstances that forced him to switch from Honda to Ducati, in an inspiring TNT Sports documentary chronicling his comeback.
Following a return to the sport after his issues with an arm injury, Marquez's relationship with Honda began to fracture in 2022 and 2023.
At the end of the 2023 campaign, Honda announced the decision to mutually part ways with Marquez, despite having a year left on his contract.
Marquez kept pushing to be competitive on what was an uncompetitive bike, and breaking point arrived at Grand Prix Germany, where he suffered multiple crashes over the weekend.
"It's a difficult part and a difficult moment, especially because I want to win again. I want to win again with Honda, this is my main priority," Marquez said about his struggles at the time.
"But we are in a sport that is not only bike, it's not only team, and it's not only rider. It's the combination of everything. So it's very difficult because the years are passing."
That weekend in Germany was the most stunningly clear evidence of a divorce between Marquez and Honda happening in real time, with the frustrated rider even giving his bike the middle finger.
At the end of 2023 he joined Ducati, and by the 2025 season he had joined the factory Ducati.
"It was super difficult decision because it hurts the team," Marquez said. "I mean, it's my life, it's my career, and it was a super hard decision.
"All my mechanics are there, my technicians are and the sponsors, everything."
Honda team manager Alberto Puig said: "Frankly speaking, when Marc left, there were no hard feelings, from his side but nor from Honda.
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'Such a special thing to be a part of' - TNT pundits reflect on MotoGP 2025 highlights
Video credit: TNT Sports
"He believed he had to go another direction, and we accepted and understood it.
Years before he broke into the sport and before his injury crisis, Marquez's talent was clear, but many had written him off for being too small.
Former MotoGP rider Neil Hodgson was one of the unlucky crowd who thought as much.
The Brit recalled, "When I first saw him on the track, he would have been really young, and he was so small.
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"It was his first year in 125 Grand Prix racing, and I remember thinking I’d heard there was quite a bit of hype about him, and I remember thinking, ‘I don’t rate him. I don’t think he’s that good.’
"Once he got his first victory, it was like that was it. He had experienced the drug of winning. And from that moment on, he’s become an addict. And he can’t live without it."
Incredibly, Marquez made history in his rookie year in 2013, winning the first of his seven championships.
He was the first rookie to win the title since 1978, and was just 20 years and 266 days old when he did it.
Fast-forward 10 years, and he was making his move from Honda to Ducati. Five frustrating years after his arm injury, to and hell and back, and he had a long-awaited title within his grasp again.
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Highlights: Marc Marquez claims title in Japan after Bagnaia victory
Video credit: TNT Sports
At Grand Prix Japan in the 2025 season, he clinched his seventh championship, at age 32.
The surgeries, the crashes, the switch from Honda to Ducati - it showed how far Marquez was willing to go to finish the greatest comeback the sport has ever seen.
"The only reason why we are riding MotoGP bikes, is because we have passion," Marquez said proudly.
"What I love is adrenaline, and MotoGP gives me the correct adrenaline."
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