Marc Marquez is heading back to Jerez and will attempt to ride at this weekend's Grand Prix of Andalusia at Jerez. Despite breaking his arm during last Sunday's race at the circuit, and having surgery to plate the arm on Tuesday, Marquez is determined to attempt to ride.
Marquez faces a number of hurdles before he is allowed to ride. He is already flying back to Jerez, but on arrival, he faces examination by the circuit doctors. He will have to prove he is capable of riding safely and controlling the motorcycle. That means having the strength in his upper arm to manage braking and turning, which can place huge loads on the arms, especially, as the braking forces produced by the Brembo carbon brakes meaning the riders have to support more than their own bodyweight with their arms.
But a return to racing is also made more complicated by the COVID-19 protocols put in place by Dorna, and essential to operating the race at Jerez safely. Marquez' crew had already left the circuit, but anyone flying home and wanting to return to the paddock has to be tested for the disease once again. As the test results take time to process, they are likely to only get into the paddock and start work on Thursday afternoon, putting them behind their normal schedule.
Marquez has clearly decided that in such a compressed and short season, he cannot afford to lose any more points, after his DNF after crashing out of the race on Sunday. In a tight and complicated championship, every point may well turn out to count at the end of 2020.
Below is the announcement on Twitter from the Repsol Honda team:
After a successful operation on Tuesday, @MarcMarquez93 is heading back to Jerez.
— Repsol Honda Team (@HRC_MotoGP) July 23, 2020
Comments
He’s a warrior but..
How can anyone be sure he can control the bike-Márquez style-until he can't? Half of me admires his determination, half of me thinks his pathological desire to win will ultimately finish him..
In reply to He’s a warrior but.. by funsize
This sums it up really imho,
This sums it up really imho, great post.
B/S
No chance.
Not his decision to make
Surely this isnt the riders decision to make. Puig needs to step in and say rest. If he loses control again he could really hurt himself. To stupid for his own good and that of the riders around him
In reply to Not his decision to make by Grahamuk-oz
I remember Lorenzo at Assen
I remember Lorenzo at Assen (i think it was ) with a broken collarbone. Commonsense would say stay at home and rest - but this is Marquez we are talking about. Woudn't like to be the Doctors at the course this weekend - the pressure they will be under to raise will be intense.
In reply to Not his decision to make by Grahamuk-oz
Puig- "if he dies he dies"
Puig doesn't give a crap about rider safety. Honda will just throw huge money at the next great rider to wrestle their grenade
In reply to Puig- "if he dies he dies" by CTK
Puig said that the other
Puig said that the other riders can't be proud or happy about winning a title if Marc has to miss races due to the injury. Puig seems like an asshole.
In reply to Puig said that the other by djhankd
Puig doesn’t care
He doesn't have the personality to manage this situation. I remember many years ago when he was managing Dani he (allegedly) was found in the TV control room having somehow got access to all the onboard footage of his competitors. I can't recall what the outcome was but seem to remember he got away with it. I guess he's a good frontman for the 'Evil Empire'..
Good for him. Lets hope he
Good for him. Lets hope he limps around to 5th and saves the season.
Brave but Foolhardy
Totally agree with comments. Hopefully the circuit doctors will veto his plans.
He might be able to show he can control the bike for a couple of test laps, but a Grand Prix distance? Unlikely.
He could end up back in hospital for a long time, or worse still, collide with another rider and cause them to have an accident.
In reply to Brave but Foolhardy by seniorbiker
The circuit doctors cleared
The circuit doctors cleared him today.
the bone is plated ,there is
the bone is plated ,there is no fracture,there will obviously be some damage to the soft tissue,but these guys manage that all the time.
In reply to the bone is plated ,there is by kiwimotogpfan
Been there, not a good idea
I had plated fractures and still carry some hardware on my skeleton. It doesn't feel too good right after the titanium and screws goes in the bones if you let off the pain pills. It's akin to some hairline-fractures and, in my case, I could feel the vibrations when I tried to ride, even slowly or on a mountain bike. I bent a plate in my left hand while training on my mountain bike three weeks after the operation. That had to be replaced, so under the knife again... There's a chance that Mighty Marc can pull it off, as Lorenzo did at Assen, but he'll be loaded on painkillers and grinding his teeth and that won't be good for his recovery, especially considering what his shoulders have been thru.
Mind Games?
I wonder if there's some mind games being played here? Not that he needs to bother with that given his talent on track but if he wanted to put pressure on the rest of the grid despite not being able to race, then this seems like one way to do it.
Respect
If he is going to ride then you can only admire his commitment. He's not stupid, he knows the risks. The riding we saw from Marquez last Sunday is not the only way he is capable of riding, he can ride a smooth clean race as and when he chooses. Now that being said, if he chooses is a different matter but it's definately his body.
I don't see any mind games, simple maths, max 50 points behind or less points behind before Brno (If Fabio wins again).
A less spectacular injured Marquez maybe finishes 6th, it's 40 points instead...and a chance of less if the order is shaken up.
Now....can he brake going down into turn 6 and 13 and hang on to the bars for a race distance ?
Honestly -
I don't know why I wasn't thinking this is what was actually going to happen. This is Marc Marquez folks. He is not of this earth.
I'm really shocked how he is fit enough from a medical/structural point of view, not just grit and determination. Was cut open, titanium bits, etc. Like, those screws/rod are going to be ready after 3 days!?!
Podium
Wouldn't be surprised if he finished the race on the box (or in one for that matter such is the degree of his talent, competitiveness and self-destructiveness). It would be shocking in a way, but not a surprise.
In reply to Podium by spongedaddy
One Step Beyond
Marc is always pushing the envelope. Instead 'Win it or bin it', he has taken it to 'On the box or in a box'. Outstanding
Can someone explain what is involved in the Doctors assessment?
I remember hearing that for collarbones it was a few push-ups.... is that same bar that is used for this assessment? How does that take into consideration braking and the associated forces and the amount of right-handed turns on this track? I think this can put other riders at risk, not just Marc.
Risking a non-union?
I had an open humerus fracture (can poke my finger thru the hole the bone tore in my leather jacket) which was plated. Resumed activity (bicycle commuting) too soon...the result was two loose screws and a "non-union." Another surgery a week later.
He is bonkers and inhuman
/thread
This is Spain, land of bull
This is Spain, land of bull fighting and machismo. A home race for MM. He is already legend, but clearly wants more.
He should be up to it - on paper
I work in operating theatres, I see bones being plated and screwed every day. Bone is as hard as concrete so in theory a good plate job - and I have no doubt that the orthopedic surgeons will have gone to town on this one - should certainly be strong enough to withstand the forces Marquez will put through it during a race.
The other physiological factors - soft tissue damage mainly - won't affect his ability to ride. They all ride with that sort of damage all the time.
So in theory it is perfectly plausible for him to compete. Whether it is wise is another question. Let's hope he stays upright.
In reply to He should be up to it - on paper by v4racer
Interesting
Thanks a lot for your input. Interesting to get feedback on this from a medical expert.
In reply to He should be up to it - on paper by v4racer
Eek!
V4 and David, please keep in mind connective/soft tissue damage not from the plating procedure but the big fall Sunday.
Cold treatment has brought swelling down. He did pushups to pass a fitness test. But...
He will try to put the bike on Q pace Saturday. Very questionable. Valor? For sure yes. Jorge's collar bone was our last of these. Typical Marc? Yep.
Race distance Sunday? In those conditions? On THAT bike?! In theory, on paper, maybe. He was missing apexes and off line last weekend HEALTHY. Front went away some visibly. Everyone but Taka had "that Honda crash" last weekend.
That right shoulder is vulnerable don't you think? Will he be saving it on the elbow again this weekend? Will he need to, given what that 2019 bike with 2020 rear tire demands?
In reply to Eek! by Motoshrink
Yes he is taking a massive risk
I don't think the reconstructed shoulder is an issue? Surely we'd have heard if that was the case.
David I'm by no means an expert on orthopedic surgery, just educated based on my role. I should have asked one of the ortho surgeons for a detailed perspective.
In reply to Yes he is taking a massive risk by v4racer
I'll take whatever I can get
I'll take whatever I can get mate.
Marc has been strategically coy re such things. He skittles oddly well. And yet still, he is stealing these divine saves and milder injury crashes from the Devil's lunch plate.
He has had quite a number of BIG offs. Last Sunday included.
Sounds like he got the swelling down Weds, then came and did his pushups right after. Waiting to see/hear something. Bet it will be seen via behavior and riding rather than articulated. I have bets in that he doesn't finish a race Sunday, nor finish top 5 in 2 weeks. The 1st looks more sure to me than the 2nd. It isn't me that needs the luck however...