After missing the last two MotoGP races thanks to a frankly horrifying crash in Indonesia, Repsol Honda have just, this morning, announced that the eight-time-world champ Marc Marquez will be returning for the MotoGP round in Austin, this weekend.
After completing a ‘conservative treatment plan’ (whatever that means) Marquez’s medical team cleared him to take his CBR600RR for a spin around Alcarras circuit in Spain. The test obviously went fairly well because, off the back of that, he’s made the decision to fly across the Atlantic and race in the COTA (Circuit of the Americas) Grand Prix, in Austin, Texas.
Marquez has got a pretty impressive record round the COTA circuit. He’s won seven of the last eight MotoGP races round there, and the one he didn’t win (2019) was only because he crashed whilst enjoying a reasonably comfortable lead; so you could argue, he ought to have won. But, to finish first, and all that…
My point being, he knows he’s strong round there and whether he’s suffering with diplopia (double vison) or not he won’t want to miss one of the best chances he’ll have all year of taking a win.
Marc said
MM93
“Of course I am very happy to be back, it’s a great feeling to return and especially to do it at one of my favourite tracks. No matter the situation, I really enjoy riding in Texas and have incredible memories there. We have some work to do after missing two races and the whole Argentina weekend so I am not here to set one target at the moment. There’s many things to do and consider, but the important thing is that we are back on the bike this weekend.”
Marquez is down in 15th position in the MotoGP championship at the moment, which is not something he’ll be used to… but he’s only 34 points from Aleix Espargaro in the top spot. And it’s early days in a long championship, and there’s still a potential 450 points to win. The fat lady’s not even learnt the lyrics, yet.
