Marc Marquez’s crash after his highsider at Turn 3, when he went too far in the hunt for second-placed Maverick Viñales and experienced the worst fall of his career to date (© MotoGP).

As announced by us, Marquez is not going to Losail!

As our readers have known for exactly two weeks, Marc Marquez will not be at the start in Qatar. In the article “On the Marquez Comeback” on March 8, 2021, we had already explained why we couldn’t think of it, see below http://www.motoracers.eu/marquez-comeback-reality/?lang=en. Nevertheless, countless journalists and even team bosses like Ciabatti (Ducati) speculated about the return of the 6-time MotoGP world champion to the Qatar GP. It was a great experience for Marc to be able to ride a MotoGP replica for the first time in 8 months during the Losail tests. But afterwards it was clear to him and the doctors after the first ride on the Autodromo do Algarve: This is not enough for the GP in Losail!

The Autodromo do Algarve near the Portuguese coastal city of Portimão – here Marquez practiced on a MotoGP replica from Honda and even posted pictures of it on the internet. But thundering past a camera on a straight with over 200 was no guarantee that it would be enough for a comeback. In the end we were right with our assessment of March 8th and the Catalan will not contest the first 2 races of the season.

What speaks for a comeback in Jerez

After Marquez will not compete in Losail, as officially announced since March 22, 2021, our prediction for the Circuito de Jerez is the hottest candidate. In Portugal, the Repsol Honda driver drove briefly, but his opponents there have a Grand Prix race experience advantage over him. Nevertheless, it is of course possible that he will practice again in Portimão beforehand and still want to try it there. But at the moment he was apparently ordered to take a break again. It is therefore more likely that the Circuito de Jerez will make its comeback. There he can train with a superbike beforehand, and he has already been very successful on this track several times.

The “Krummenator” photographed by us in turn 3 of Jerez in 2019 – this is where the career of Repsol Honda star Mick Doohan came to an end in 1999 when the Australian fell during training. Marc Marquez also had a bad fall here in 2020 and broke his upper arm. However, he only became a long-term injured person because he had chosen to return much too early at his own risk, only 4 days after the operation and against the advice of the doctors.

The official statement on renouncing Qatar

Marc Marquez from Repsol Honda Team and his medical team from Hospital Ruber Internacional have thought it advisable not to compete again this weekend in Qatar and will miss the Barwa Qatar GP at the opening of the season. In the review of the Spanish driver by the medical team led by doctors Samuel Antuña and Ignacio Roger de Oña, consisting of doctors De Miguel, Ibarzabal and García Villanueva, 15 weeks after the operation for an infected pseudoarthrosis of the right humerus. After intensifying his training, a good clinical response was noted. However, given the time period and the current state of the bone consolidation process, doctors feel it is prudent and necessary not to rush Marquez’s return to the track after such an inactive period and to avoid exposing the humerus to intense competition.

Marc Marquez at the Repsol Honda Box on July 25th, 2020, when he gave up his pointless attempt to qualify for the 2nd race in Andalusia. It is now officially confirmed that the Spaniard will not drive in Losail (© MotoGP).

Next medical check – only after the 2nd race in Qatar
Marquez will have another medical evaluation on Monday, April 12th. Therefore, it is not, as officially formulated, highly unlikely that the eight-time world champion will also be at the Grand Prix of Doha (the 2nd race of Losail). On the contrary, this is absolutely unthinkable because it takes place before the medical check-up. It is doubtful that the Portuguese Grand Prix will see the Spaniard’s return due to the short time span of a few days after his next examination. So everything looks just as we told our readers on March 8, 2021. If he comes to Doha, then at most, as recently, with 2 companions as a vaccination tourist.

Alex Marquez (LCR Honda) – with his metatarsal fracture, he was the only one injured in the Losail tests. But Marc’s brother wants to drive whenever possible. This will probably not do his father’s fingernails in front of the screen any good (© MotoGP).