Marc Marquez’s MotoGP return delayed by at least two months
Honda has announced MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez will remain out of action for a further two to three months due to his broken right arm.
After breaking his arm in a crash during the 2020 MotoGP season-opener at Jerez last month, Marquez underwent an initial surgery two days following the injury. This led to a brave comeback attempt at the second round less than a week later at the Spanish circuit.
Despite completing FP3 and FP4 at the Andalusia Grand Prix, Marquez withdrew due to swelling on his arm and was expected to return to action for the Czech GP. However, the plate fitted to his arm had been stress-damaged during his attempt to come back for the Andalusian GP and it broke when he tried to open a window at his home in Spain.
This required another operation to have a new plate fitted, which ruled him out of the Czech GP and double-header in Austria. Marquez was then expected to make his return for the San Marino Grand Prix in September for the first of two Misano races followed by the Catalan GP.
However, recovery on his right arm following the second operation has been much slower than anticipated, and Honda has now confirmed that Marquez will be out for at least another two months.
"There has been a lot of talk about Marc's recovery and the various deadlines, but from the first day after the second operation we have said that the only objective that exists is for him to be one hundred percent,” said Alberto Puig, Honda team manager.
“We do not want to rush. Once Marc is in a position to return and compete at the level he knows, then we will think about the next objective."
Though his chances of a seventh premier class title were slim, with Marquez currently sitting 67 points adrift, this extended absence brings an end to any hopes of a championship charge in 2020.
HRC test rider Stefan Bradl, who filled in for Marquez at Brno and the Austria double-header, will continue to deputise for the injured world champion alongside his brother Alex Marquez at the factory Honda squad.
Should Marquez's recovery time extend to two months, there is a chance he could be back on his Honda for the final triple-header in Valencia and Portugal in November. However, due to the compressed nature of the coronavirus-delayed season, there is a possibility Marquez may not race again this year.
After his first operation, Marquez had shared video of him testing his arm in the gym (below).
Related video
Styria MotoGP: Espargaro scores first pole for KTM
MotoGP riders react to news of Marquez's extended absence
Why Ducati holds all the power in its MotoGP rider dilemma
OPINION: The French Grand Prix looks to have made Ducati’s decision on its factory team line-up simpler, as Enea Bastianini stormed to his third win of the campaign and Jorge Martin crashed out for a fifth time in 2022. But, as Ducati suggests to Motorsport.com, it remains in the strongest position in a wild rider market
The seismic aftershock of Suzuki's decision to leave MotoGP
Suzuki's sudden decision to leave the MotoGP World Championship at the end of the season has acted as a stirring element in a market that had already erupted. We analyse what this means for the grid going into 2023
How the real Ducati began to emerge in MotoGP's Spanish GP
Ducati’s 2022 MotoGP bike has had a tough start to life and the expected early-season title charge from Francesco Bagnaia did not materialise. But the Spanish Grand Prix signalled a turning point for both the GP22 and Bagnaia, as the 2021 runner-up belatedly got his season underway after a straight fight with Fabio Quartararo
How praise for Honda's MotoGP bike has given way to doubt
In a little over two months, Honda has gone from setting the pace in MotoGP testing with its new RC213V prototype to being at a crossroads - caused by the discrepancy in its riders' feedback. After a Portuguese GP that underwhelmed, serious questions are now being asked of Honda in 2022
Why Quartararo's win was vital not only for his title hopes
Fabio Quartararo got his MotoGP title defence off the ground in the Portuguese Grand Prix as a dominant first win of 2022 rocketed him to the top of the standings. While a significant result in terms of his title hopes, it has come at an even more important time in terms of his 2023 contract negotiations
The MotoGP rookie fighting two fronts in his debut year
Darryn Binder has found himself in the unenviable position as MotoGP's most under-pressure rookie in 2022 having made the step directly from Moto3 with a reputation as an over-aggressive rider. This hasn't been an easy thing to shake at the start of the season, but he believes tangible progress is being made
How ‘Beast’ mode is putting Ducati in 2022 MotoGP title contention
Enea Bastianini’s second win of the 2022 campaign at COTA puts him back in the lead of the standings and once again showed the best Ducati package is still the 2021 bike. Those closest to Bastianini tell Motorsport.com why he’s so good on the GP21 relative to his factory counterparts.
How Espargaro helped Aprilia shed MotoGP's underdog tag
Aleix Espargaro became MotoGP's newest winner in a thrilling Argentina Grand Prix in which he also proved the merits of the Aprilia project. After six years of hard graft, both parties have reaped the rewards they have long thought they deserved. But it was several key moments in that journey that led both to that momentous Sunday at Termas de Rio Hondo.