PARIS, Aug 4 — Reigning MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez will miss his second straight race after he was ruled out of Sunday’s Czech Grand Prix following another operation on his fractured right arm, his team said Tuesday.
“After undergoing a second operation on his injured right arm, Marc Marquez and HRC have decided that the world champion will not ride in the Czech Republic in order for him to recover more,” Repsol Honda said in a statement.
The Spaniard underwent further surgery Monday in Barcelona on the arm he broke in the season opener in Spain on July 19. He missed the following race in Jerez despite initially being declared fit to take part, just 48 hours after having a titanium plate inserted.
Marquez will be replaced this weekend by German test rider Stefan Bradl, who has made 95 career starts in the premier class.
“The first operation was successful, what was not expected was that the plate was insufficient,” doctor Xavier Mir said Monday. “An accumulation of stress in the operated area has caused the plate to suffer some damage, so the titanium plate has been removed and replaced by a new fixation.
“The rider has not felt pain during this period. He has always followed the medical advice given and the feeling from his body. Unfortunately, an over-stress has caused this issue. Now we have to wait 48 hours to understand the recovery time,” the doctor added.
Six-time world champion Marquez made a remarkable return in practice ahead of last month’s Andalucia MotoGP, four days after surgery, but later dropped out of qualifying having struggled to keep pace.
The 27-year-old Marquez has yet to register a point this season and already trails championship leader Fabio Quartararo by 50 points after the young French rider secured back-to-back victories at the Jerez circuit.
Next on the calendar, which has only 13 confirmed races, is the Czech race at Brno before a double-header at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria, on August 16 and 23. — AFP
