Ducati insists that Marc Marquez's recovery is 'more important' than his participation in the post-season Valencia Test.

On Thursday, the 23rd of October, it was confirmed that Marc Marquez would not return to action for the remainder of the 2025 MotoGP World Championship.

This also meant that Marquez would also miss the post-season test at Valencia, two days after the 2025 season comes to an end at the same circuit.

His absence will be a hit for Ducati as they continue to develop their 2026 machine, but the Ducati Lenovo Team boss, Davide Tardozzi, insists his recovery is 'more important'.

The earliest date Marquez will be able to test the Ducati GP26 will be at the Sepang Test, which is set to take place on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th of February. He then gets two weeks off before he would be back on the bike at the Buriram Test on the 21st and 22nd of February.

"It’s a shame that we can’t have Marc [Marquez] there [at the Valencia test] but it’s more important that he recovers his injury 100 per cent," Tardozzi said, speaking to the MotoGP world feed broadcast during FP1 in Sepang.

"So, we know very well Marc; we miss something having him not there, but we are sure that he will recover everything from the first test of 2026 here in Malaysia.

"Having Marc is always a ‘plus’."

During the Australian and Malaysian Grand Prix, the nine-time World Champion has been replaced by the Ducati Test Rider, Michele Pirro.

However, there have been rumours that Aruba.it Racing - Ducati World Superbike rider Nicolo Bulega will replace Marquez at the Portuguese and Valencian Grands Prix in November.

Tardozzi even went as far as to confirm that Bulega will test the GP25 at Jerez before a decision is made about a potential replacement ride in a Grand Prix.