Marquez: Nakagami must listen to doctors

Marc Marquez has given advice to Takaaki Nakagami ahead of his shoulder surgery which will rule him out of the final three races of the 2019 MotoGP campaign having undergone a similar recovery process last winter.

Fresh from signing his 2020 LCR Honda deal, after Nakagami contests his home round at Motegi this weekend the Japanese rider will undergo surgery on his right shoulder which will rule him out of the last three rounds of the season – with Johann Zarco called up as a surprise replacement rider at LCR Honda.

Nakagami’s injury, triggered by a crash with Valentino Rossi at Assen last June, has progressively got worse across this season and with a lengthy recovery period required Honda and Nakagami have taken the option to maximise his rehabilitation timeframe in preparation for the start of 2020 pre-season testing.

Marquez had a similar surgery last year immediately after the 2019 post-season tests, having suffered with his left shoulder throughout last season, and has since admitted he wasn’t back to full fitness until the Jerez round in May despite going under the knife in early December.

The reigning MotoGP world champion has duly warned Nakagami to listen to his medical advice and not aim to rush his recovery.

“The doctors said to me three months and I didn’t believe it and wanted to do it in one-and-a-half months but in the end it was two-and-a-half months,” Marquez said. “It was very long. So the advice to him is to follow what the doctors say and believe them as it is a long recovery.

“We have spoken in Thailand because we were sitting in the office but it is a little bit of a different injury.”

Having wrapped up the 2019 MotoGP riders’ world championship last time out in Thailand, Marquez still wants to seal the Triple Crown for Honda by also taking the constructors’ and teams’ crowns.

While Honda holds a dominant 77-point lead over Ducati in the constructors’ standings, Repsol Honda needs to overhaul Ducati in the teams’ with the Italian squad holding a 19-point advantage with four rounds to go.

“I feel good and more relaxed but the mentality is the same as in Thailand,” he said. “Today we at Thursday and we still try to work hard for the win on Sunday and this will be the mentality for the last four races to try to prepare for 2020 in the best way.

“Against Dovi last year it was a nice fight here and unluckily for him he crashed with two laps to go but he will be fast and it is one of his favourite circuits where he rides in a very good way.

“For Fabio [Quartararo] it is one of his favourite circuits and he shows the level and the performance that he’s already riding very fast but we will also not forget Vinales, Rins and all the riders who will be fast.”

Marquez has claimed victory at Motegi in two of the past three years, clinching the MotoGP world title on both occasions, but lost out to Andrea Dovizioso in 2017 in a final-lap fight.