Márquez was born in Cervera, Catalonia, to Roser Alentà and Julià Márquez. He received his first dirt bike, a Yamaha PW50, at age four, and quickly began competitive motocross racing. In 2003, Márquez raced in the Open RACC 50cc series, winning the title at his first attempt.
Márquez won the 125cc World Championship in 2010, riding a Derbi, and the Moto2 World Championship in 2012. He moved into the MotoGP class in 2013 to ride for Repsol Honda, winning the title on his debut and becoming the first rider since Kenny Roberts in 1978 to win the premier class title as a rookie. He was also the youngest to win it overall, at 20 years and 266 days.
In 2014, Márquez defended his title dominantly, winning the first ten races of the season back-to-back. He equalled the all-time Grand Prix record for pole positions in 2016, at the age of 23. He secured further championships in 2016, 2017, 2018, and a particularly dominant 2019, becoming the youngest rider to win his seventh and eighth Grand Prix championships.
At the 2020 season-opener in Jerez, Márquez crashed and broke his right arm. A premature attempt to return to competition further damaged the arm, and he sat out most of the season due to three surgeries. The injury continued to plague Márquez in 2021, but he still managed to win races in Germany, Austin, and Misano, finishing the season seventh. He underwent a fourth surgery on his arm at the Mayo Clinic in 2022.
Struggling with an increasingly uncompetitive Honda RC213V, Márquez severed his contract with Honda in 2023 and joined the satellite Gresini Ducati team for 2024. Márquez won his first race in 1,043 days in Aragon, and finished the championship in third place, negotiating a two-year factory Ducati contract. In 2025, Márquez recovered to full form, winning the championship with five races to spare. His six-year drought between titles was the longest in history, and at 32 he became the oldest world champion in the four-stroke era. His younger brother Álex Márquez was runner-up, making them the first siblings to place first and second in the premier class.
Márquez holds numerous records, including the most premier class race wins (60 as of the end of the 2025 season), most pole positions (93), and most podium finishes. He is known for his aggressive riding style, particularly his ability to save crashes by dragging his elbows, a technique he pioneered in MotoGP. He is nicknamed the 'Ant of Cervera' due to his height and often uses an ant as a motif on his gear.
In 2022, Márquez and his brother Álex founded the talent management agency Vertical. Turn 10 at the MotorLand Aragón circuit is dedicated to Márquez in recognition of his success.
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