Marc Marquez He has never recovered from as big a points deficit as he will face in 2026, but the Ducati rider can still prove he is the title favorite at Mugello.
Many expected it. Marquez It will take back-to-back titles in the first two years at the factory. Ducati In the year Given his dominance on the road to winning the 2025 title. But the shoulder injury he suffered in October and the effects that followed took their toll.
First round crash with Marco Bezecchi of Aprilia Marquez suffered a coracoid fracture and ligament damage last season at Mandalica. In the year In 2019, a fracture from lateral jet surgery bent two screws in his right shoulder, but the problem was not seen until early 2026.
Marquez only felt discomfort in his shoulder while riding the MotoGP bike, which put him at a huge disadvantage. Therefore, Marquez was personally planning to have surgery on his shoulder, but during the Sprint at Le Mans, a big height, the Spaniard elected to bring the surgery forward.
Should Marc Marquez attempt a comeback at the Italian Grand Prix?
Marc Marquez can beat Marco Bezecchi and Jorge Martin for the trophy by winning at Mugello.
Even from Ducati, Marquez hid the discomfort in his right shoulder Until he broke down in tears when he confessed to driving “with an arm and a half” in their Le Mans garage. A high in France broke the fifth metatarsal in his right foot, prompting his admission.
Read more: Marc Marquez’s first MotoGP title with Ducati was defined in five moments
Márquez sat out the French GP and Catalan Grand Prix weekend to recover from the operation, leaving Marquez vulnerable to Bezeci in the riders’ standings with an 85-point deficit. Still win over the potential return Italian Grand Prix May 29-31 can change the game.
report by Motorsport.com Ducati says it has ‘everything ready’ for Marquez to return to Mugello, provided he is medically cleared to take part in the Italian GP weekend. Ducati has not put any pressure on Marquez to return, but the team is ready for him.
Whether Marquez decides to return to the Italian GP remains to be seen, but a win at Mugello poses a serious threat to Aprilia pair Bezecchi and Panic. George Martin – Leading the Ducati star by 70 points – he is still a force to be reckoned with in the 2026 title fight.
Marquez He has never had a points deficit since 2026 and has still won championships with strong starts to his seven championship seasons. Marquez’s biggest title return to date was 37 points in 2017.
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In the year In 2017, Marquez fell to a 37-point deficit to Yamaha rider Maverick Vinales after the Italian GP. Now, a decade later, Mugello can begin a historic run as Ducati’s home circuit is one of the most physically demanding tracks in the calendar.
Max Biaggi warned Marquez not to return to MugelloIf he competes in the Italian GP, ​​because of the injury he could have suffered in the shoulder. So if Marquez wins the Italian GP when he returns from injury, he could face a hammer blow on Bezecchi and Martin.
Martin won the Le Mans Sprint and stamped his name on a title race that French GP Bezechi looked set to dominate. But with Raúl Fernández taking Martin and Bezecici struggling all week, none of the Aprilia riders came out with the Catalan GP.
All the while, Gresini racer Alex Marquez and VR46 star Fabio D’Gianntonio have shown that the Ducati GP26 can be a race-winning bike for Marc Marquez (once the shoulder is good enough). Alex Marquez won the Sprint race in Barcelona And he might also have won the Catalan GP – which Di Giannantonio eventually won – had it not been for his crash with KTM’s Pedro Acosta.
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