Marc Marquez (Ducati) stands on the brink of history, on the verge of claiming his eighth premier-class crown and the tenth of his career across all classes. As Motorsport.com Deutschland reports, the upcoming penultimate race weekend of the 2026 season in Portugal offers him an immediate shot at the title on Saturday. He only needs to outscore Jorge Martin (Aprilia) by two points in the sprint to seal the championship. Meanwhile, Marco Bezzecchi also mathematically remains in the hunt, though he would need to sweep both the sprint and Grand Prix at both Portimao and Valencia while Marquez fails to score a single point.
Securing an eighth premier-class championship would place Marquez ahead of Valentino Rossi's tally of seven, drawing him level with Giacomo Agostini. It would also lift him to ten total titles across all classes, again surpassing Rossi's nine. Speaking on ServusTV, Stefan Bradl has floated the bold theory that Marquez might call time on his career right at the end of the current campaign. According to Bradl, eclipsing Rossi's championship record served as a massive driving force for the Ducati rider, given their complicated past and fierce on-track battles.
There is a 70 percent probability that I'll be retired in three years, and a 30 percent chance that I'll still be racing,
"My gut feeling tells me, and from what I've picked up a bit, that I believe that after this season, if he takes the title, he might well hang up his helmet," Bradl stated. Having shared a fierce Moto2 title fight back in 2011 and spent three years as teammates at Honda—Marquez in the factory squad and Bradl at LCR—Bradl knows the Spaniard well. He pointed to the immense energy Marquez has poured into this late title charge, particularly during the grueling overseas rounds, alongside the draining media and promotional duties demanded by MotoGP.
Bradl argued that the endless cycle of injuries, physical sacrifices, and demanding recovery processes makes walking away at the peak an appealing prospect. Furthermore, the 36-year-old noted the looming uncertainties of the future, pointing to upcoming changes like new Pirelli tires, the introduction of 850cc machines in the coming seasons, and the prospect of facing a strong new teammate. Turning 34, Bradl believes Marquez simply won't need to put himself through the stress once the milestone tenth title is safely in the cabinet, though he admitted it remains purely his own prediction.
For his part, Marquez touched on his eventual retirement timeline just weeks prior during an exclusive interview with Motorsport.com Spain at the Australian Grand Prix. Having recently signed a new two-year deal with Ducati covering 2027 and 2028, the Spaniard indicated he is likely looking at the end of 2028 for his departure. "There is a 70 percent probability that I'll be retired in three years, and a 30 percent chance that I'll still be racing," Marquez noted at the time, insisting that once he decides to walk away, he will do so as a free man at peace with himself.
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