Marc Márquez’ team has issued a press release denying the rumours which hinted to a possible come back of the pilot for the Aragón GP, which is taking place this weekend at the Motorland Circuit. 

In its statement, Repsol Honda has confirmed that Álex Márquez, second classified at the French GP and brother of #93, will join German tester Stefan Bradl, to form the line-up for the tenth round of the MotoGP World Championship at the Spanish region. 

Any chance of the seven-time MotoGP World Champion returning has thus evaporated. The news has come to the great disappointment of his legions of fans who hoped to see their idol -albeit knowing they were fooling themselves- make his mark on the track this Friday. 

Numbers don’t add up for Marc Márquez

If Marc Márquez had been able to take part in Aragón, he still would have had a chance to defend his title. The hopes for that to happen, however, have been long gone. In this way, the absent monarch, who has reigned with authority since 2013, will have to give up his throne to a new successor. 

The painful decision would have followed one of his physical check-ups. Márquez is examined every week by doctor Xavier Mir, the surgeon who performed his two operations. It is evident now that after the last visit, doctor Mir was reluctant to allow Marc Márquez back on the track. 

The decision from the medical professional has come as no surprise since Marc Márquez hasn’t even ridden an ordinary bike since being intervened on. It is very unlikely that he returns to the competition with no previous training whatsoever.    

In any case, it seems that Marc Márquez’s convalescence after undergoing two surgeries on his right arm in just one month is taking somewhat longer than initially expected by his team. 

Valencia, the most likely round for his return 

It would be only in the unlikely scenario that Doctor Mir was to observe a great improvement during one of his periodic examinations, that his return could be brought forward to the Teruel GP, which is due to take place in Motorland from the23rd to the 25th of October.

After what happened following the first operation, however, the team is naturally being extremely cautious regarding Marc’s return to the competition. Márquez’ fixed titanium plate, which had been placed to reduce the fracture in his right Humerus, broke on the 19th of July, at the inaugural race of the season, the Spanish GP 

After the second surgery, in fact, the team made it clear that there would be no concrete deadlines and that Marc would only compete when he was one hundred per cent ready. 

The roadmap now for the pilot and his team points to Márquez reappearing next month in Valencia for the three consecutive final rounds of this atypical season at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit. 

Assert the leadership and develop the bike 

If he is finally back for the last few races, Marc Márquez would attempt to defeat his possible heirs to the throne in order to, at least, inflict a psychological defeat on them before the start of the 2021 season, and to demonstrate he is still the boss.

Only then Márquez would reaffirm his position as the king of the speciality… and the favourite to regain the crown. Besides this, Marc Márquez’s presence on the track could be key for technical reasons.

The team needs the feedback of the Catalan pilot in order to further develop a machine that only he can control. Marc’s role in the development of the RC213V, so as to make it accessible for the rest of the team’s pilots, is considered essential. Being able to tame the temperamental Japanese beast for 2021 is one of the objectives of the Asian team. 

Images of Marc Márquez: Repsol Honda Team.