Marco Bezzecchi
Everyone will be looking at Marc Marquez as a firm title contender in MotoGP in 2026 after his incredible success in 2025, but his injury may raise some concerns.
Marquez suffered a shoulder injury in Indonesia after he collided with Marco Bezzecchi. It was initially believed that no drastic measures were needed for his recovery, but it was later discovered that surgery was required.
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Marquez bent a screw in his right arm in the crash, which was put in place after his accident at Jerez in 2020. The Spaniard had a lengthy recovery from that crash, which almost ended his career, hence why he is being patient with his latest injury in 2025.
Marquez admits his recovery has been ‘challenging’ due to his previous experiences. But he knows that he must take his time as he looks to return and win the 2026 title with Ducati.
Luigi Dall’Igna ‘honestly’ believes that Marc Marquez will perform well in 2026 despite his injury
The Ant of Cervera is hoping to return in time for pre-season testing in Sepang in January. But he has offered no official confirmation that he will be at the sessions.
Marquez is set to get on the saddle of a bike very soon as he takes the next steps in his recovery. But Jorge Lorenzo expects Marquez to ‘lose something’ when he gets back and will be behind his rivals.
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Ducati chief Luigi Dall’Igna was asked if Marquez will be a favourite for the 2026 title at a recent Ducati event. He believes that he will feel no effects from the injury and will perform back to his best.
He told Moto.IT: “Honestly, I see him doing well. It seems to me that his recovery is going well. He’s already putting weight on his shoulder in a way that I’d call normal, like before the accident.
“He should be back on the bike now, if not tomorrow, then next week, so I think we shouldn’t suffer any consequences from what happened.”
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Who does Marc Marquez see as his opponents in 2026?
Marquez was the class of the field in 2025, winning 11 Grand Prix and 14 Sprints, wrapping up the title by Motegi. He was almost impossible to beat on the track, with his own mistakes often hampering him.
With Ducati set to have the fastest bike on the grid again, it is hard to look past the Spaniard for the championship. But several riders have been making progress in his absence.
Aprilia have closed the gap to Ducati and are in a position to win races regularly. The pressure could be on Marquez to deliver results when he returns.
Marquez named Marco Bezzecchi as an ‘opponent’ in 2026, alongside his brother Alex Marquez and teammate Francesco Bagnaia. He also did not rule out Pedro Acosta, who made serious progress with KTM in the second half of 2025.
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