It was supposed to be an heroic comeback … racing less than a week after surgery to repair the broken arm of Marc Marquez. Marquez said he was a champion, and that he “had to try.” Well, actually, he didn’t.
On the eve of a triple header (back-to-back races at Brno and the Red Bull Ring), Marquez was forced to undergo a second surgery yesterday. The second surgery was, once again, performed by Dr. Mir who has had this to say:
“Marc Marquez underwent surgery 13 days ago and today he returned to the operating room,” said Dr. Mir. “The first operation was successful, what was not expected was that the plate was insufficient. An accumulation of stress in the operated area has caused the plate to suffer some damage, so today the titanium plate has been removed and replaced by a new fixation. The rider has not felt pain during this period. He has always followed the medical advice given and the feeling from his body. Unfortunately, an over stress has caused this issue. Now we will have to wait 48 hours to understand the recovery time.”
The question now is whether Marquez will attempt to ride either of the races at the Red Bull Ring, which occur in quick succession following Brno (just one week between each race). At this point, Honda will only indicate that his condition will be evaluated just prior to each race. Here is a press release from the Repsol Honda Team:
After a heroic return just four days after surgery in Jerez, Marc Marquez will miss the Brno race with Stefan Bradl joining the Repsol Honda Team alongside Alex Marquez.
The Czech GP marks the fourth round of the 2020 MotoGP World Championship and presents the first change of circuit for the season in the MotoGP class. 2019’s Czech GP is remembered for Marc Marquez’s incredible Qualifying lap, 2.5 seconds clear of second placed Jack Miller. Weather forecasts suggest a clear weekend in the high 20s – a change from the punishing heat of Jerez. The weekend also marks the start of MotoGP’s first triple-header of the revised 2020 season as two races at the Red Bull Ring succeed the weekend.
After undergoing a second operation on his injured right arm, Marc Marquez and HRC have decided that the World Champion will not ride in the Czech Republic in order for him to recover more. In his place, HRC test rider Stefan Bradl will mount the Honda RC213V. In 2019 the former Moto2 World Champion competed in four MotoGP races with a best finish of 10th at the German GP. Bradl has claimed three top ten finishes at Brno from his seven starts in the MotoGP class and only once missed out on points.
Winner of last year’s Moto2 race, Alex Marquez is eager to get to the Automotodrom Brno, a circuit he ranks as one of his favourites on the calendar with only one visit finishing outside the top five since he became a full-time Grand Prix rider in 2013. Having made constant progress, especially over race distance, the MotoGP rookie arrives with boosted confidence to try his Honda RC213V around the Czechia circuit with its flowing layout. The objective is again to reduce the distance to the front and fight for top rookie honours.
Alex Marquez
“This will be just the fifth circuit I have ridden a MotoGP bike at, but it is one I have always enjoyed riding and it has suited my style a lot in the past. We gathered a lot of good information from the two weekends in Jerez so now we can apply what we have learned to a new circuit. Every session I learn more about MotoGP and my bike, I am looking forward to riding in Brno and starting three races in three weekends, it will be intense but I am looking forward to it. I hope Marc can recover well and quickly!”
Stefan Bradl
“First of all I want to wish Marc a speedy recovery, what he did in Jerez was incredible and he showed that he has the true spirit of a champion. I am looking forward to riding the Honda RC213V again, due to the global pandemic we have not been able to test as we would normally so it will take some time to adjust to the bike and MotoGP again but I have ridden the superbike a few times so I know my fitness is good. It’s a challenge I’m looking forward to, competing with the Repsol Honda Team is always a great honour and I am pleased to help Honda. Let’s see how the weekend goes.”
I don’t understand why they don’t just hire Morgan Freeman to narrate him back to health. Surely Honda has the budget.
I never thought MM intended to race. He needed to get out, create some buzz and show off his sponsors stickers.
who would see them? Nobody in the stands. Practices and qualifying weren’t televised.
In a previous thread I posted:
“Did you see the video of him doing 40 push-ups less than a week after breaking his arm? Simply amazing. Don’t understand how that’s even possible.”
Sadly, I think that feat of strength probably caused the additional damage necessitating a second surgery and installation of a larger plate. Perhaps he is mortal after all.
Nope, he messed up his arm, at home, opening a window.
The door/window was “the straw that broke the camel’s back”. Nobody was claiming that was the entire issue.
Marc is in the club of motorcycle racers that all have a messed up pinkie finger. There’ll be fireworks on the track when he heals up. I wish him well.
Dr. “Orwell” Mir:
Success = failure
Slavery = freedom
Winning = losing
Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia…
Does Mir posit there’s no correlation between MM’s last Jerez outings and the “stress” to which Mir refers?
I think that’s a bit harsh on the Doctor/surgeon. Regardless of the theoretical success of the operation, no-one in their right mind would consider putting a broken arm to work before the bones had begun to knit and, more importantly, the fixings had consolidated. Marquez knows no fear, but his employers and advisers should have banned him from the track, including the infamous dirt-bike training.
Nick
Just because he’s a champion doesn’t mean he need to act like a fool. He was wise to listen to his doc’s advice. There will be more races to win.
To your last prognostication: Probably so. Honda certainly hopes so!
so the first plate was insufficient yet successful? sounds like puig wrote this. hasn’t dr. mir worked w/ mm before? he shoulda known to put a 2-5 times thick plate in that guy.
Dr. Mir successfully plated the fracture. The bones were aligned, held in place, and no nerves were damaged.
Then Marquez went out, tried to race, and damaged the plate. Orthopedic plates aren’t designed to withstand the stresses of riding a MotoGP bike.
They’re not even designed to withstand the stresses of normal day to day activities – the bone knitting together provides the strength after a fracture heals, not the plate and screws. The metalwork is just there to hold things in the right place until healing occurs.
Marc, like the other riders, is a competitor. Of course he had to try, and almost pulled it off. It’s easy to criticize from the keyboard, but most of the time we just show why we aren’t at the top of heap. According to his Doctor, “He has always followed the medical advice given…”. Of course, the keyboard warriors know better, and complain that Marc didn’t follow their preferences.
With Marc missing the first 3 races, and possibly the first 5, the Championship is thrown wide open. As evidence of how amazing Marc’s skills and determination are, there are still a huge number of MotoGP fans who, respectively, still believe/hope/fear that Marc can/will still win the Championship, even in a shortened season.
There are lots of sub-plots in the MotoGP story, so the season will continue to be interesting.
I apologize (really) that I too am healing from minor surgery, and have nothing better to do than to pick apart your post.
“Marc, like the other riders, is a competitor. Of course he had to try,”
No. As Dirck pointed out, MM chose to compete for Jerez race 2 and could have instead healed. If he chose that route it’s more likely he’d race this Sunday for points, maybe even be in 4-6th place in the standings, instead of 0 points after 3-5 races.
I’m not the only one who posted that his competing 4 days after surgery seemed more than a little strange.
Did MM make the right choice? Please be honest and just say yes or no.
“…and almost pulled it off.”
Ever hear about horse shoes and hand grenades? Again, did MM make the right choice?
“It’s easy to criticize from the keyboard, but most of the time we just show why we aren’t at the top of heap.”
Do you have any more right to criticize posters than posters have to criticize MM?
“According to his Doctor, ‘He has always followed the medical advice given….’ ”
Who gives a crap what advice MM’s MD gave or did not give? Again: did MM make the right choice to compete for race 2, yes or no?
“Of course, the keyboard warriors know better, and complain that Marc didn’t follow their preferences.”
Duh. Hindsight exceeds foresight. Did I ever ask you if MM made the right choice? You seem to have expended a lot of words supporting his decision. I’ll be a little surprised if you say no.
“With Marc missing the first 3 races, and possibly the first 5, the Championship is thrown wide open.”
MM’s crash and 0 points after 3 races can only “open” something that was prior “closed.” Exactly and specifically how was the Championship “closed” prior to MM’s crash?
Sorry, but this is just a wrong and silly point.
“As evidence of how amazing Marc’s skills and determination are, there are still a huge number of MotoGP fans who, respectively, still believe/hope/fear that Marc can/will still win the Championship, even in a shortened season.”
Oh gawd, please…I’d ask you for a survey proving “huge number” but of course no such survey results exist.
“There are lots of sub-plots in the MotoGP story, so the season will continue to be interesting.”
What sub-plots? There’s no sub plot. The season is wide open. It sounds very much like you’re pulling a Puig here, apologizing for a less successful MotoGP season because MM will have accumulated 0 points after 3-5 races, and possibly dropping out of the season entirely. If that’s the case, fail.
Hope you heal well and quickly. Sorry/not sorry for declining to play games with you to alleviate your boredom.
Geezus Probologna, you’re a long winded but say nothing dude! I think he obviously should not have tried to ride before the break had healed at least 2 more weeks. The doctor knows that, and I guarantee advised against it. But isn’t going to badmouth Marquez to the media or anyone else. I don’t know mathematically what it would take to win this seasons championship, but the decision to ride prematurely,may have cost repsol and Marquez #9…