Marco Bezzecchi
With Marc Marquez likely to return this weekend at the Italian Grand Prix, Neil Hodgson heard some interesting updates on the Spanish rider’s health.
Marquez will return if he can pass a medical examination and get cleared to participate at the Italian Grand Prix this weekend.
After suffering a serious shoulder injury that was exacerbated during his crash at the French Grand Prix, Marquez underwent surgery to repair the issues he was struggling with all season.
How do you expect Marc Marquez to fare if he returns at the Italian GP?
Marquez could be eyeing a title fight in his return, despite being behind by 85 points in the championship race to current leader, Marco Bezzecchi.
For Marc Marquez to push through such a serious injury is a big risk, especially to try to overcome such a huge deficit. However, could the severity of his injury have been overstated?
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Marc Marquez’s shoulder injury considered ‘not as bad’ by insiders ahead of Italian GP return
Neil Hodgson addressed the possible return of Marc Marquez on the latest episode of Gas It Out. While the announcement of his possible comeback came just days ago, many in the paddock felt it was inevitable.
In fact, Hodgson cited gossip he heard that Marquez’s injury wasn’t as bad, and considered ‘fixable’ under a timeline that would allow him to return to Mugello.
“All the inside gossip that I was getting at Barcelona was that Marc is not as bad as you would think. His shoulder situation is fixable. It wasn’t a big operation and he’s definitely going to be back in Mugello.
“I remember thinking that I’d be sort of surprised if he was back in Mugello. Obviously, he has broken his foot as well, two bones. It’s not like it’s nothing.”
But even with a return at the Italian Grand Prix, Marquez faces a tall order trying to close the deficit to Bezzecchi in the title race.
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Neil Hodgson says Marc Marquez ‘believes’ in title opportunity
Despite being so far behind in the MotoGP championship standings, Hodgson claims that Marquez would only return if he felt he had a real chance of closing the gap and competing for the title.
“You’d sort of have to say the championship is gone. I can’t see him rushing back if he’s not 100% fit or if he’s only 90% fit… It’s definitely gone. He’s not going to do the double is he?
“There’s only one reason he’s coming back, even if he’s not 100% fit, is because he believes there’s still a chance. He’s not looking to ride around in fifth place.”
Amid concerns that Marquez is returning too early, there is still a fascination among fans over whether Marquez can complete a miraculous comeback.
Even though Marquez has said he has nothing to prove to anyone in MotoGP, his return at Mugello suggests he is still hungry for another championship.
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