Marco Bezzecchi
Marc Marquez will miss the 2026 MotoGP Catalan Grand Prix due to injury, and team manager Davide Tardozzi admits Ducati are unsure whether he can return at Mugello.
Ducati are entering a one-man team at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya this weekend, as they have chosen against fielding a replacement rider for Marquez following his surgery last Sunday. Marquez underwent operations on his right shoulder and also right foot in Madrid.
Francesco Bagnaia will carry the factory Ducati flag alone at the Catalan GP, while Marquez recovers from the operations. Marquez had already planned on having another surgery on his shoulder to resolve an issue with the radial nerve before he fractured his toe in France.
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Davide Tardozzi says Marc Marquez’s surgery for his shoulder and foot injuries went well
Marquez hid the discomfort in his right shoulder from Ducati, but he planned to undergo an operation after the Catalan GP to remove a bent screw from his Latarjet surgery in 2019. His crash in the 2025 Indonesian Grand Prix moved the screw, and it was pushing on the nerve.
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Requiring another operation after fracturing the fifth metatarsal in his right foot during the Sprint Race at Le Mans gave Marquez a chance to bring forward his shoulder surgery. Both operations went well, but Tardozzi admits that Ducati do not have a timeline for his return.
Tardozzi told Sky Sports Italy: “The good news is that the operation went well – particularly the one on his shoulder, as well as the one on his foot. So, we need to wait a little while to get a clear picture of what his physical capabilities will be in the near future.
“At the moment, it’s not possible to give a date because there’s still nothing to tell us for certain when he’ll be able to return. So, the aim is to return as soon as possible, but saying Mugello at this stage isn’t possible.”
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MotoGP has a brief break after this weekend’s Catalan GP, which could allow Marquez to get fit and return from injury at the Italian Grand Prix on May 29-31 at Mugello. But Max Biaggi has warned Marquez against returning at Mugello, as the “gruelling” circuit will be an issue.
Ducati will have to consider their options if Marquez is unable to recover enough fitness in his shoulder more so than his foot in time for the Italian GP. Test rider Michele Pirro would be the Borgo Panigale natives’ obvious option to replace Marquez if he cannot ride in Italy.
World Superbike sensation Nicolo Bulega is also a Ducati MotoGP test rider in 2026, and has already begun helping with the development of their 850cc bike for 2027. But Bulega cannot replace Marquez in Barcelona or at Mugello due to clashes with his World Superbike season.
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