Marc Marquez “covering” physical limitations “with the brain” in MotoGP
Davide Tardozzi says Marc Marquez’s MotoGP comeback in 2026 is thanks to his intelligence and work ethic.
Marc Marquez is “covering” his physical limitations through intelligence and work ethic, says Davide Tardozzi.
Marquez has battled his physical condition ever since 2013, arguably, when a crash at Silverstone dislocated his shoulder.
Five years later, Marc Marquez had surgery on that left shoulder because it had become so weak it dislocated almost every time he crashed, or even when celebrating his 2018 world title in Motegi.
Another shoulder surgery came in the winter of 2019, but the major injury came in 2020 with the humerus fracture that still affects Marquez now, several surgeries and six years later – not helped by the crash in Indonesia last year, caused by Marco Bezzecchi, in which he suffered more complicated shoulder injuries.
A nerve problem emerged in the first part of 2026. That was only fixed after he broke his foot in Le Mans and brought forward a planned surgery by a week.
Since he came back at Mugello, Marquez has either been excellent or worryingly off-pace. His only podiums this season have been victories, but by winning seven times – and thanks to some implosion at Aprilia from both Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin – he has found himself with chances to win his eighth MotoGP title at the next race.
To do it, Marquez has changed the way he rides, as he said himself after the Malaysia race, but also maintained his dedication to victory, as Ducati Lenovo Team manager Davide Tardozzi says.
“Looking at Marc [Marquez] struggling in Mugello after not participating in Barcelona, after that bad crash in Le Mans, 102 points from Bezzecchi – that was almost mid-season,” said Tardozzi, speaking to TNT Sports after the Malaysia race.
“Being here in Sepang with three races to go, with 67 points ahead of Bezzecchi – it makes us proud about our engineers, about the work, and about our rider.”
Tardozzi continued: “He’s clear that he’s suffering. His right shoulder, his right part, the arm, is not perfect, is not 100 per cent.
“He’s covering this with the brain, the focus.
“The focus he has every day in the training, in the gym, with road bikes in the small race track – I never saw in the past a guy so focused every minute of the day towards the result.”
Alex joined the Crash.net team in August of 2024 having covered consumer and racing motorcycle news at Visordown for two years.
