Marc Marquez’s return to MotoGP action remains uncertain as Ducati Lenovo Team manager Davide Tardozzi admits it is still too early to confirm if the reigning world champion will be fit for the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello. Marquez underwent successful surgery last Sunday following a foot fracture sustained in the Le Mans Sprint, as well as a previously undisclosed shoulder operation to address compression on the radial nerve in his right arm.
The shoulder procedure, originally scheduled for after the Catalunya round, was brought forward, with surgeons removing a bent and a broken screw from a 2019 operation and a bone fragment—damage attributed to an incident with Marco Bezzecchi at Mandalika last season. The nerve issue had left Marquez “riding with one and a half arms” so far this year.
“The goal is to return as soon as possible, but we don’t know when yet. We can’t say today if he’ll be at Mugello,” Tardozzi told the media, emphasizing the uncertainty surrounding Marquez’s recovery. He praised Marquez’s resilience, noting, “Knowing what happened and knowing what the doctor told us, I think Marquez showed again that he is a superhero and super rider. He did something incredible because, with his body situation, I guess nobody else was able to do what he did.”
Ducati will not field a replacement for Marquez at the upcoming Catalan Grand Prix, with Pecco Bagnaia set to be the factory team’s sole rider. Tardozzi confirmed, “The rules allowed us not to substitute him for this race, which is a back-to-back. But if, for some reason, Marc is not able to be in Mugello, for sure we will replace him.”
Meanwhile, Tech3’s Maverick Vinales, who recently underwent a similar shoulder procedure, will return to action in Catalunya after six weeks on the sidelines.
Marquez’s comeback timeline remains uncertain, with Ducati and fans alike hoping for a swift return at the iconic Mugello circuit later this month.
