Marco Bezzecchi
Andrea Dovizioso feels Marc Marquez’s situation is “much more serious” than it looks after the Ducati star endured another tough weekend in 2026 at the United States GP.
Marquez has had a difficult start to the term after spending the winter off-season recovering from surgery for the shoulder injury that he sustained last October. The 33-year-old suffered a coracoid fracture and ligament damage in his right shoulder in last season’s Indonesian GP.
Seven-time premier class champion Marquez only got back on a MotoGP bike during testing this February, and his shoulder injury is still affecting him. After having a tough time in Texas last week, Marquez conceded that “it’s me, not the bike” after the United States GP, as well.
The Spaniard does not feel comfortable enough to push the Ducati Desmosedici GP26 as he would like, as the bike is “more aggressive” using new Michelin tyres. Additionally, Marquez crashed into Fabio Di Giannantonio in the Sprint at COTA after losing the front end on Lap 1.
Is Marc Marquez’s reaction to his FP1 crash at COTA the biggest hint yet that he could retire from MotoGP in 2026?
Andrea Dovizioso thinks Marc Marquez’s shoulder injury is ‘much more serious’ than people think
Marquez’s Sprint crash at COTA drew him a long lap penalty for the United States GP, which dropped him from P7 into P11 before recovering to P5 at the chequered flag. The weekend also started with Marquez’s high-speed crash during FP1 at COTA, and he only qualified P6.
READ MORE: Marc Marquez’s five biggest MotoGP crashes
Former Ducati rider Dovizioso believes Marquez’s difficulties in Texas show that his shoulder injury is “more serious” than some may believe. Given that Marquez has also taken a record seven wins at COTA, Dovizioso thinks last week showed his shoulder may never fully recover.
Dovizioso told Moto.it: “Marc isn’t one to complain, and he’s never made excuses. So, the truth about his situation and how many problems he has, especially those who don’t support him, have never really taken him seriously.
“But his situation, in my opinion, is much more serious than it seems. Last year, he managed to win a championship, certainly not at 100%, he’s a long way off.
“And perhaps with the crash in Indonesia, he further increased this arm limitation that I do not think can be fixed. Austin was the definitive confirmation. In a place where he could have made a difference, he couldn’t.”
When will be the first race that Marc Marquez beats Marco Bezzecchi?
Let us know in the comments!
Marquez admitted to Davide Tardozzi after the United States GP that he is “struggling”, too, as his shoulder injury is affecting how he performs with the GP26. He also told Ducati team manager Tardozzi that it is “critical” that he starts races strongly to enjoy the chance to win.
Even before the Ducati star crashed in practice at COTA, Alex Barros claimed Marquez could need six more months for his shoulder to fully heal as the final 10% is the hardest to regain. Marquez’s crash in FP1 at COTA also left him questioning whether he wanted to go back out.
Marquez fell as he came across the hill at COTA’s Turn 10 and skidded into the crash barriers last Friday. After which, Marquez admitted: “After a fall like that, I didn’t feel like going back on track.” The Cervera native took a second to collect his thoughts before he went back out.
Receive racing news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
