Marc Marquez has been cleared to return to training on a motorcycle ahead of his eventual MotoGP return, the news announced on Wednesday evening by his Honda outfit.
The six-time premier class world champion has been out of action since May’s Italian Grand Prix after undergoing another operation his right arm in order to allow him to ride in a more natural style, his injured humerus rotating to such an extreme extent that he couldn’t manipulate his arm properly while riding his RC213-V.
Marquez has spent the last three months focussing on rehabilitation and light training with a view to potentially returning to racing action before the end of the 2022 MotoGP campaign, the Spaniard joining Honda at the Austrian GP as he tried to re-acclimatise himself with the Japanese manufacturer’s project following his extended time away.
The news of Marquez’s return to motorcycle testing is an important step forward in his recovery, with Dr Sanchez Sotelo – the doctor who led Marquez’s procedure at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota – revealing Marquez’s most recent CT scans show “a complete bone union” as well as “regained a great arc of motion.”
“Today, I had the opportunity to evaluate Marc Marquez in regard to his surgical procedure recently performed at Mayo Clinic,” began Sanchez.
“Fortunately, Marc Marquez has regained a great arc of motion and has recovered well from a muscular perspective as well.
“Today, he underwent radiographs and a CT scan that show complete bone union.”
Honda says it will now “assess the following steps needed” to further progress Marquez’s recovery and eventual racing return.
The brand will be keen to see him back in action as it continues to struggle for outright results as its current riding line-up of Pol Espargaro and Stefan Bradl – as well as LCR satellite pilots Takaaki Nakagami and Alex Marquez – struggle to extract any potential from the temperamental RC213-V.
The quartets difficulties are clearly illustrated by the fact that Marc remains Honda’s highest classified entry in the riders standings despite having not competed in three months, the 59-time MotoGP race victor sitting 15th in the standings and a full 15 markers clear of next-closest Honda man Nakagami, who is one place behind overall.
Excellent news .Truly missed on the race track. Hopefully fully fit for final few races of the season, if all goes well.