Ducati floored: the Marc Marquez question and the specter of farewell

Another tough weekend for Ducati at the French GP, where three Aprilias filled Sunday’s podium. But perhaps that’s the least of the bad news: Marc Marquez missed the race after the crash he suffered in the MotoGP Sprint while fighting for sixth place with his brother Alex. The Cervera champion will also skip his home round in Barcelona, and questions are being raised about his true state of health.

On Saturday, May 9 at 3:20 pm, Marc Marquez suffered yet another highside of his career and this time he had to go to the operating room. Already on Sunday, less than 24 hours later, he underwent surgery in Madrid and will begin rehabilitation today. At Le Mans he sustained a fracture of the fifth metatarsal in his right foot, before admitting that a procedure on his right shoulder had already been scheduled, an injury suffered in Indonesia last October after contact with Marco Bezzecchi.

The nine-time world champion explained that the fall in Indonesia had damaged old metal plates already in his shoulder, which were pressing on the radial nerve. A screw was irritating the nerves and partly limiting his ability to ride, as was evident in this early part of the MotoGP season. Ducati insists it does not want to take risks and that its absolute priority will be to respect recovery times, especially considering that the Spaniard raced for quite some time despite physical limitations.

This new operation had been scheduled for after Catalunya, but the latest crash moved up the timetable. His body continues to take hits and undergo operations, raising some doubt about when we will see the superstar back to full fitness. He could also miss the Mugello Grand Prix at the end of the month, and at that point defending the MotoGP title would become truly difficult, with the championship increasingly drifting toward the Aprilia garage.

But how much energy and desire does Marc Marquez have left? For some, his hunger for success will carry him over this latest obstacle as well—it’s only a matter of time. For others, this procedure and the subsequent therapy mark the beginning of the end for the 33-year-old from Cervera. His body may no longer withstand the major challenges of MotoGP. Borgo Panigale will guarantee him a two-year contract through 2028, and he will be the benchmark in the new 850cc era. However, it’s not out of the question that at the end of this season he could take stock and decide to end his career without further risks. Once again, he’ll keep us on the edge of our seats until the very last moment, even if he’s not at the top of the standings.

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