Marc Marquez: Riding at Jerez risked ending my career
Marquez is missing his third MotoGP event in a row, plus Monday’s post-race test, after doctors warned the fracture to his first right metacarpal (thumb) could be re-damaged even without falling off.
The eight-time world champion sustained the injury when he lost control of his Repsol Honda under braking at the Portimao season-opener on March 26, causing him to ricochet off Jorge Martin and then slam into the side of Miguel Oliveira.
Marquez underwent surgery in Madrid the following day - which consisted of a ‘closed reduction of the fracture and internal fixation… with two screws’ - and has been absent from MotoGP ever since.
“Unfortunately, I tried to recover in four weeks, but honestly speaking the doctors from the beginning said it would be between 6-8 weeks,” said Marquez, speaking at the Jerez circuit on Thursday afternoon.
“But I was very optimistic and tried everything I could to be quicker in the rehabilitation and to ride here in the Spanish Grand Prix.
“Unfortunately after Tuesday’s CT scan, we checked with the Madrid medical team and they said that it was too risky. Then they reconfirmed with the Mayo Clinic [where Marquez underwent arm surgery last year] and also we reconfirmed with the Red Bull APC Center.
“By unanimous decision, they said it was a very, very high risk to destroy the surgery.
“So for that reason, I decided to not race here.”
Marquez added that he would be risking potentially career-ending ‘damage’ even if he didn’t fall, simply due to the stress placed on his right hand under braking.
“The main risk was not crashing, but just from the pressure of the handlebar 'you will destroy or you will damage again [the bone]'. Especially because it's a very small crack, but it's a crack that [affects] the stability to the [thumb] and this is one of the most important fingers when you brake.
“The problem is that if I reinjure again, their advice to me was that there will be a big damage. Not only for three months more, but also for my career. Because now they were able to fix [the fracture] in a very good way. They did a very good surgery.
“But if I reinjured then maybe it can be the end of my career because it's a very important finger.
“So for that reason, it was an easy decision. When three medical teams say to you that you will get injured again if you ride, it's an easy decision. Whether you are 30 years old, 20 or 15. You cannot be against the doctors. They are the professional ones.”
The #93 currently has seven world championship points to his name, courtesy of third in the Portimao Sprint race, and is 57 behind current title leader Marco Bezzecchi (VR46).
The title situation could be much worse had reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia not fallen in the last two grands prix, when the likes of Fabio Quartararo, Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales also suffering mistakes and misfortune.
While Marquez was watching at home, LCR’s Alex Rins took Honda’s first MotoGP victory since 2021 last time out at COTA.
Marquez will now need to rely on Rins and new team-mate Mir to steer development of the RC213V during Monday's post-race test at Jerez.
"It's important to be on the bike and it was a shame to lose Argentina GP because it's a circuit that I like. It was even more difficult to lose the Austin GP because it’s also a circuit I love. And it's even more difficult to lose one of the most important GPs for all the sponsors and for a Spanish rider," Marquez admitted.
"But apart from that we have a Monday test where I will be not able to help Honda on the track, which is the most important thing. But they have two good riders also, Mir and Rins, that can continue with the work and the project. The main target now is trying to ride in Le Mans… and [then] I can continue helping the project."
Should Marquez return at Le Mans on May 14-16, 592 points would remain available from the 16 remaining rounds.
