After suffering from a big injury post a massive accident in the inaugural round of the 2020 MotoGP season, Marc Marquez attempted a dramatic comeback for the next race. However, little did he know back then that the wear and tear inside his arm would keep him away for the entire season.
Now, Honda Racing Corp has confirmed that the multiple time world champion has undergone another surgery. The new operation was performed on his right arm as a result of the slow healing of the humerus bone, which has not improved with specific shock wave treatment. The rider has undergone surgery at the Hospital Ruber Internacional, in Madrid, for a pseudarthrosis of the right humerus.
The surgery, carried out by a team made up of doctors Samuel Antuña, Ignacio Roger de Oña, Juan de Miguel, Aitor Ibarzabal and Andrea Garcia Villanueva, consisted of the removal of the previous plate and the placement of a new plate with the addition of an iliac crest bone graft with a corticoperiosteal free flap. The surgical procedure lasted for eight hours and was uneventful. Earlier, there were rumours that the Spanish rider would need another surgery, which would keep him from riding a bike in a competitive manner for another 6 months. The recovery time is still uncertain and so is the answer to the question if he will be able to start when the lights go out for the first race of the 2021 season.
One of the most unusual seasons in racing history, Suzuki’s Joan Mir was crowned as the champion for the 2020 season. The young rider made the most out of an unpredictable calendar where legends like Valentino Rossi missed a couple races due to COVID, while his fellow rider Maverick Vinales struggled to find a likeable bike setup. Marc Marquez’s brother Alex tried his best to fill in the void left by Marquez senior by taking the only podium for Honda this season.
In 2021, the shuffling of cards has meant that Cal Crutchlow will no longer be a part of the grid as he has taken up the role of an official tester with Yamaha Racing. On the other hand, Andrea Dovizioso has left Ducati and will probably spend the year watching Undaunted, while Valentino Rossi will be seen wearing Petronas SRT colours with Franco Morbidelli as his team mate.