Why Marc Marquez might miss out on a MotoGP injury test

Marc Marquez might be unable to take advantage of MotoGP’s new ‘injured rider’ test rule before returning to competition in 2026.

The newly crowned champion, who fractured his right shoulder after a Mandalika collision triggered by Marco Bezzecchi, will also miss next weekend’s Portuguese Grand Prix - his third absence in a row - making him eligible for the special one-day test.

Introduced this season following a proposal from Aprilia, the rule allows riders sidelined for at least three consecutive 'events' or 45 days to complete a private test to gauge their fitness before rejoining the MotoGP grid. The test is not mandatory.

Jorge Martin was the first and so far only rider to benefit, completing a day on an RS-GP at Misano, Aprilia's designated test track, before his return at Brno.

However, in Marquez’s case, the regulation may not be of practical use.

Under the rules, the injury test can only be held “at a circuit where the manufacturer is allowed to test according to their concession rules and/or test circuit choice (if applicable), or on any circuit where no further MotoGP Grand Prix is scheduled to take place following the test in the same season.”

In MotoGP, a season is defined as “starting on the day after the final race of the year, and finishing on the day of the final race of the following year.” (A separate definition covers the three consecutive event absence).

Then there’s the MotoGP winter test ban for contracted riders to consider, which runs from December 1-January 31.

That leaves Marquez with a narrow window of just November 17–30 to hold an injury test in 2025, and he’d need to do it at one of Ducati’s designated test tracks. In other words, in cold and perhaps wet conditions in Europe.

While he could technically complete the test on February 1–2, after the winter ban and just before the official Sepang test (February 3–5), Ducati would face major logistical challenges flying personnel and machinery from Europe to Malaysia in time.

Private testing at Sepang is also ruled out, including the Shakedown (January 29-31), since - if not a manufacturer's designated test track - the injury test venue needs to be “where no further MotoGP Grand Prix is scheduled to take place following the test in the same season.”

The 2026 Malaysian MotoGP takes place on October 30-Novembr 1.

All things considered, Marquez looks most likely to check his fitness on a Panigale Superbike in January, then ride a Desmosedici for the first time since Indonesia at the start of the Official Sepang test.