Marquez: “My body and my arm take it the right way”

100 is the number of days that have passed since Marc Marquez's last appearance on a MotoGP. After a fourth operation on his right arm and long weeks of convalescence, the Spaniard was finally able to return to the track aboard his RC213V during the official test in Misano. 

Marquez stopped at midday after completing just under 40 laps of the Italian track. He set a time of 1'32.395 less than nine tenths behind Aleix Espargaro, at the top of the standings one hour from the checkered flag. “I had only done two sessions on a motorcycle before moving directly to a MotoGP,” he recalled. The timing was rather tight. There's still a long way to go, but it's true that I feel good. I didn't really like the first run, because the bike is very fast, but from there I started to enjoy it more. Today I rode more by instinct. After 100 days, you drive by instinct, you don't really know what you're doing. The times weren't bad, but that wasn't the most important thing. The main thing is that after 40 laps, my body and my arm are taking it in the right way. I did short runs, because we have to work harder to do longer ones. »

💪🏼🚀 Good feelings!! First day done at the test, I felt really good on the bike. Time to rest and to get ready for tomorrow!!

-#MM93 pic.twitter.com/n6bS6QmqmD

- Marc Márquez (@marcmarquez93) September 6, 2022

At the end of this first day, the Catalan felt rather good, even if his muscles were causing him pain. “I was touching my shoulder and my arm because after a year and a half of working in a different way, the muscles are now working the right way,” he explained. They are not yet ready to hold all the torque and power of the bike. »

And added: “The program was to complete 40 laps, I did 39 and I stopped halfway through the day. We followed exactly the plan planned the day before. I asked if I could maybe ride this afternoon, but they stopped me because today was the first day. We had to stop midday to try to ride tomorrow. I'm going to do a physiotherapy session with ice to control muscle recovery. The pain is not great, but the recovery is significant. If I have the right feeling tomorrow it will be about continuing to ride and if I can do more laps I will. » 

No rush: “It’s too early to understand”

Marquez assures that he is not yet able to go the distance of a race. It is therefore too early to know if he will be on the grid next week at the Aragon GP. The Honda driver leaves Wednesday and the few days that follow to decide on a possible return. “It’s still too early to understand,” he said. Today, if I had covered the distance of the race, it would have been impossible to finish. Maybe 10 rounds in a row, but 27… I'm far from doing it. Tomorrow we will see if I took a step or not. It will be important to ride and see how my body accepts Thursday and Friday. Sometimes, after an effort, you take a step back because you are in pain... It's time to understand what my body is asking. »

In any case, Marquez is clear about his humerus: “The bone is 100% restored. It's more the muscles. At the fracture area, I don't feel any pain. It's more shoulder and elbow. Concerning my arm, I feel good, but at the elbow and shoulder, especially behind, I have a little pain. »

MARK. IS. BACK! 💪

Watch the long-awaited moments as @marcmarquez93 returned to action at the #MisanoTest! 🙌#MotoGP pic.twitter.com/HIQXArhVPR

- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) September 6, 2022