– After his foot injury in the Le Mans sprint and subsequent surgery, Marc Marquez returns for the Italian Grand Prix in Mugello. The world champion had recently skipped Barcelona. Now he is attempting a comeback, but with clear limitations and an equally clear self-assessment.
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Even before the first practice, Marquez makes it clear that for him this weekend it is mainly about getting through, not about maximum performance.
When asked if he could compete the entire weekend, he answers confidently but realistically: “Yes, of course. If I am here, it is because I believe I can finish the whole weekend. But not at maximum intensity.”
Marquez: Foot not a problem, shoulder needs time
The Spaniard describes his physical condition in detail. While the foot hardly plays a role for him, the focus is clearly on his right shoulder, which was also operated on during the procedure, and that for the second time.
“I don’t care about the foot. It’s just a small thing, nothing that really limits me,” Marquez states. “But the right shoulder needs time. Because this screw [which was successfully removed during the operation] was pressing on the nerve, and the nerve affects some muscles. That just takes time.”
The medical decision for the comeback was still made consciously. Together with the doctors, they assessed the timing as sensible: “We analyzed that now is the right moment to get back on the bike and continue my development, but with the right attitude.”
By that he means his approach for Mugello: “Racing is racing. A crash can always happen, that risk is always there. I will try to adapt step by step to the different feelings on the bike.”
Operation was more difficult than expected
Marquez provides detailed insights into the operation itself. The procedures were more extensive than initially planned. Originally, they only wanted to remove one screw, but during the procedure a greater damage was discovered.
Photo series: The ordeal of MotoGP star Marc Marquez
“I would have wished for a small operation,” he says openly. “But they removed two screws and a piece of bone. They had to open the area completely.” However, it was important that the muscles themselves were largely spared: “They did not damage the muscles, they were only stretched.”
Therefore, his condition is “not perfect,” but the MotoGP doctors at the track also gave him the go-ahead. However, he is to be examined again after the first practice.
Concern for Alex Marquez after Barcelona crash
Besides his own injury, Marquez is especially concerned about another recent moment: the severe crash of his brother Alex Marquez at the Catalonia Grand Prix. “Alex’s first week was tough,” he recalls.
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He personally picked up his brother from the airport and took him home. But only two hours later came the shock: “His girlfriend called me and said, ‘Please, your brother is doing very badly, we have to do something.'” Alex Marquez then spent two more days in the clinic.
Marc Marquez especially remembers the moment of the accident: “When I saw the images at home, I was like frozen. I watched the whole situation, and we know the risk. But when it is someone from the family or a rider you are very close to, the impact is even greater.”
The Sunday of the race weekend in Barcelona was also correspondingly difficult for him, especially mentally. “Honestly, I suffered a lot because I know that with such crashes the damage sometimes only appears later,” says Marquez.
Photos: MotoGP: Catalonia Grand Prix (Barcelona) 2026, Grand Prix
He reminds that not only his brother but also Johann Zarco was lucky that day. His appeal is therefore unmistakable: “That was one of those moments that must show us all that we are human. We are riders, we fight, but life comes first.”
Criticism of race calendar and scheduling stress
In this context, Marquez also comments fundamentally on the strain in the modern MotoGP calendar. The high density of races and commitments is viewed critically by the Spaniard: “Risk is always there. But with these motorcycles with 44 stars in the field, it is not the best way to minimize risk.”
He understands the show aspect of the sport. “But the riders who make the show possible in the first place take a very high risk,” warns the world champion.
He sees the start phase of a race as a particularly critical moment: “Usually all dangerous situations happen in the first lap when the field is still close together.” And with so many starts per year, the risk multiplies.
Besides, the growing strain off the track plays an increasingly important role. Marquez describes an increasingly busy daily life of media, events, and commitments: “It is 2026. We are more demanded than ever before, not only when riding but also at events, social media, and everything around it.”
However, he only considers a structural change possible if the riders act together: “That will not change if we do not stand together. So let’s see. But I always try to adjust my schedule properly. Because that is one of the most important things if you want to minimize risk.”
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