MotoGP: Marc Marquez: “Every day I feel better which is important”

Marc Marquez has provided a positive update regarding his arm and his return to racing.

Marc Marquez has provided an update to the many eager people awaiting his MotoGP return. The 8 x champion was forced to miss the entirety of the 2020 MotoGP season following a break of his right humerus bone in his arm caused by a crash in the season opener at Jerez.

His attempt at a return the week later caused more problems after the plate in his arm was weakened from the intensity of the RC213V with the plate eventually snapping whilst Marquez was at home. This forced him into another surgery on the arm to refit the plate, however, the story did not end here.

After months and months of recuperation, he was forced to go under the knife a third time for a bone graft from his hip due to the bones in his arm not fusing together properly which put his 2021 pre-season in doubt. Now weeks later following the first 2 days of testing at Qatar without the Spaniard he has confirmed he is recovering quickly and is making good progress every day.

The 8 x champion opened up about his schedule of 2 x 2-hour long physio/gym sessions every day with cardio in the afternoon to make sure his arm is growing in strength and that he is gaining back the muscle he has lost over the past few months.

Marc Marquez and new teammate Pol Espargaro at the Repsol Honda launch. 

Speaking on his comeback he said, “Mentally I try to imagine the best comeback possible, this doesn’t mean to come back and win the race, this means to come back and ride the bike how I want to and enjoy riding the bike and returning step by step to the level as I was at. 

“It is true that this will be a process but we will see if this is quick or slow, every day I feel better which is the most important part, now in the gym every day I feel like the right arm is closer to the left arm which means I am closer to riding the bike.

“My feeling with the right arm now is starting to be normal, for example, a month ago it was hard to shower, open a door or eat with the right arm and it is like a mental fight inside you, you need to fight against your confidence as it’s been a long time which I haven’t used my right arm.

“Now I feel I can shower much better and can work in the gym with more power in my arm with less pain. I feel I can ride soon but I have a doctor check this week and then we will see if he says it’s ok to ride, also if the muscle is in a good way but we do not know.

“We are going in a good way improving step by step, day by day. A few weeks ago I said I was improving week by week but now it is day by day, I feel I am making a step every day and this is important.”

He also was kind enough to answer the question on everyone’s mind, when will he ride his bike, he said, “Firstly, I will not ride a MotoGP bike straight away, I will ride a small bike on a small circuit. 

“It is hard when you realise you cannot start the season in the right way, you cannot try the new things Honda have brought after working in the winter, it’s something strange but I know they are working hard with Stefan Bradl, Pol Espargaro, Alex [Marquez] and Nakagami to improve the bike level and I know they are waiting for me, I will try to be there as soon as possible. I am looking forward to riding the bike.”

There is likely to be more information this week following the check up with the doctor, we will keep you updated.

Featured image – HRC