Why marc mrquez chose Madrid over Andorra's tax haven
Marc Marquez — often searched as marc mrquez — lives in Madrid, not Andorra, because track performance and recovery matter more to him than tax savings. After injury, he needs physios and specialised training available in Spain’s capital, he said at the German MotoGP.
Key Takeaways
- Unlike many Spanish MotoGP peers, Marc Marquez has kept his base in Spain rather than moving to low-tax Andorra.
- He says earnings after Spanish taxes still leave him comfortable, so tax avoidance is not his priority.
- A brief 2015 Andorra stay lasted about two months before he returned home.
- Post-injury needs — physios, machines, and a Madrid training centre — now drive where he lives.
- He frames the choice as personal freedom and racetrack performance, not a public message.
Why did marc mrquez reject Andorra’s usual MotoGP path?
In MotoGP, Andorra has long been a popular base for Spanish riders. High-altitude terrain suits training, the lifestyle can feel secluded, and lower taxes echo the pull Monaco has for Formula 1 drivers.
Eight-time world champion Marc Marquez has largely stayed in Spain instead. Speaking on Saturday at the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring, the Ducati Lenovo rider said he respects others’ choices but feels free living where he wants.
“I understand the people that want to move, they are free to move,” he said, according to Crash.net. “But just in my personal opinion, I feel free if I'm living where I want.”
Does money still matter in his Madrid decision?
Marquez does not claim taxes are irrelevant. He notes that high earnings mean he still has plenty left after paying in Spain, and that “helps.” Speedweek reports he stressed money was not decisive compared with feeling at home and racing well.
“I feel well in Spain, and I want to live where I feel that can give me the maximum to perform well on the circuit,” he said. For more motorsport and performance culture coverage, see our Future Tech & AI Wonders hub.
How did injury push him from Cervera to Madrid?
Early in his career he lived in Cervera, his hometown, when he felt relaxed and did not need physios or special machines. After serious injuries — including the lasting impact of his 2020 Jerez crash — that changed.
“Since the injury, I need special machines, I need physios, I need different kind of training, and then I move to Madrid because I found there a good team and a good center,” he explained. “But always I live where I feel that is the best to perform better on the racetrack.”
Did marc mrquez ever try living in Andorra?
Yes. In a January La Sexta interview cited by Crash.net, he said he has paid Spanish taxes throughout his sporting career and owns a house in Andorra. At 22 in 2015 he tried staying longer one winter as peers moved for tax reasons.
He lasted two months and decided: “Me, Spain, and home.” Cervera sits about an hour from the border; he had visited Andorra since age 15 for shopping, weekends, races, and later overnight training trips. He insists the choice is how he feels, not a message — messages, he says, come from what he does on the bike.