Marc Marquez has conceded that his upcoming fourth operation on his injured right arm is the “only option” to continue racing in MotoGP beyond next year.
The Honda pilot has struggled so far this year from a physical standpoint due to his right humerus bone – that he initially broke at Jerez in 2020 – having not healed correctly, with the compromised riding style Marquez has had to employ now doing damage to his left shoulder.
This has meant that in recent events he has to practically give up any meaningful running in Friday practice in order to save energy for the remainder of the weekend, while his compromised riding style means he can’t ride his RC213-V in the way he wants.
The six-time premier class world champion therefore has decided with his doctors that he will head to the USA this week to undergo one final surgery on his humerus try and allow his arm to rotate further and thus facilitating a return to his natural riding style, Marquez admitting that he “cannot continue” to compete with his current fitness level.
“It was a really hard weekend mentally because on Friday they (doctors) informed me that the rotation of the bone is too much and that I needed to go to America to have another surgery, because with the way it is I cannot continue,” explained Marquez.
“That’s how I feel that I cannot carry on like this, and certainly the news and the press conference has made the weekend more difficult and mentally it was tougher to keep my concentration because Mugello is one of the most demanding circuits, but we did it.
“Honestly if I received the news that I needed the operation before Mugello, I would not race but because I was already here on Friday I decided that I would try and help my team and Honda to try some things to understand more for the future.
“Hopefully everything goes well, and step by step we can come back.”
Marquez accepted that he doesn’t know “if I will ever win again” post-surgery, though says he feels the conclusion of the doctors to recommend another operation is “good” news due to them being “convinced” the effort will prove successful.
“I don’t know if I will ever win again, but the target is to enjoy MotoGP again and if I can do that, the results will arrive,” continued Marquez.
“It’s not completely my own choice because the doctors are in full agreement about the operation (needing to happen), but it’s an easy decision to make because with the physical condition I have now I could ride maybe one or two more years and then I would need to stop because I’m not enjoying and suffering too much.
“This is the only option to continue my career, and for me rather than being bad news it is good because the doctors have found a problem and worked out the rotation in the humerus is too big so we will try and fix it, they are convinced (it can work) so I’m happy, and we’ll see.”
