Five-time 500cc champion Mick Doohan believes the way Marc Marquez recovered from injury to become MotoGP champion was a “legendary” feat.
Marquez’s comeback from his right arm injury suffered at Jerez in 2020 has been well documented – and his return to dominance in 2025 saw him nominated for Laureus Sportsman of the Year award.
Both Doohan and Marquez suffered potential career-ending injuries in their respective careers, with the Australian’s leg injury threatening amputation in 1992 before he went on to win five consecutive titles between 1994 and 1998.
In an interview with Spanish newspaper Marca, Doohan shared his admiration for a rider who is “on a different level compared to the others” as only Marquez will understand his own struggles on the way.
“Given what Marc has been through, the way he managed to recover from the injury is incredible, not just because of the injury itself, but also from the extremely long rehabilitation period,” Doohan said.
“Then he switched bikes, changed everything, yet maintained his motivation and went back to being as dominant as he was before.
“In his second year with Ducati – his first with the factory team – he was simply on a different level compared to the others,”
“I also had an injury many years ago, but it was different than his. There was time to recover, to renew contracts.
“Only Marc knows what he went through and how difficult the process was.”
Mick Doohan: Marc Marquez comeback ‘legendary’ even for non-motorsport fans
Doohan continued to share his admiration for the nine-time World Champion and praised his “strength” amidst his comeback.
In stark contrast to his return at Repsol Honda, which was filled with further problems and crashes, Marquez won the championship in dominant fashion last season.
Doohan suggested one reason why Marquez was able to return in such strong fashion, which was lying within Marquez himself.
“Having that mental strength to never lose focus on the goal he had set for himself,” Doohan said.
“Coming from a position of dominance before the accident, going through all of this, and having a season where, in reality, he wasn’t fighting for the World Championship because he knew it was out of reach, yet remaining focused over the long term.
“This means returning to dominance and proving how strong he was and how strong he still is.
Doohan continued: “It shows Marc’s great character and what helped him overcome the injury. He made the right decisions, and that’s another sign that he’s a true champion.
“This adds even more value to how he handled everything and, secondly, to what he achieved and the comeback he made.
“I believe that, even if you’re not a motorsports fan, what he did was legendary.”
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