Marc Márquez, his right arm is still a problem: the backstory from the Ducati garage

The physical condition of the nine-time world champion is not at 100%: here’s what emerged during the recent GP at Silverstone.

It’s only natural that it makes noise to see Marc Marquez finish a sprint race in ninth place and a long race a week later, showing he’s absolutely not competitive. These aren’t results he’s accustomed us to, but it’s too soon to deliver definitive verdicts. A bad weekend can happen, and the next Grand Prix at Aragon, on a circuit historically favorable to him, could put him back in the fight for victory. In the overall standings he has 200 points, 40 fewer than leader Jorge Martin: there are 10 Grands Prix left in the 2026 MotoGP championship, and he has everything it takes to contend for the tenth world title of his career.

In the latest episode of Inside Ducati Lenovo Team, which showed some behind-the-scenes moments from the Silverstone GP, Marquez is seen talking in the garage after the long race and admitting he had a physical limitation: "The tire was better today; its drop-off was more consistent and normal. But physically I wasn’t there. I almost crashed, I had no control over my right arm. I tried to manage it but, compared to practice, I lost the front in turns 1 and 9. I didn’t like it."

The now-famous right arm, operated on after the GP at Le Mans, still doesn’t seem to allow him to ride at his best. It’s a situation he needs to adapt to, as the nine-time world champion himself explained before racing at Silverstone: "I have a right arm that’s different from before; I’m not ready to attack at every circuit. It works in a different way. It’s not the one from last year, nor from the first part of the season. Some muscles have improved and others haven’t. I’ll try to get used to it and adapt my riding style as well."

Even though the surgery performed in May in Madrid did allow him to be in better physical condition than before, it doesn’t seem to have solved all the issues. There are still limits the Ducati rider has to deal with. It remains to be seen whether, by doing specific physical work, he can get closer to the level he wants, or whether he now simply has to adapt to the current situation—making the most of the circuits where he can be more competitive and limiting the damage on those where he struggles.

Since the crash in the 2020 Jerez race, Marquez’s right arm has been through an ordeal and has changed over time, forcing him to get used to something different while riding. Before the crash caused by Marco Bezzecchi at Mandalika in 2025, the situation seemed fairly under control: Marc had dominated the MotoGP championship, doing whatever he wanted with the Ducati Desmosedici GP25. Going back to the operating room for the fractured right clavicle and then finding himself with a screw touching the radial nerve, leading to another operation, wasn’t easy for an arm that had already been through so much. He doesn’t like to look for excuses, so MM93 avoids talking too much about his physical condition. Certainly, having a few weeks off and then returning to race on a track he likes such as Aragon helps him.