Marco Bezzecchi
Gresini Racing have confirmed that Alex Marquez has withdrawn from the remainder of the Czech Grand Prix weekend.
The four-time MotoGP Grand Prix winner made his return to the race track in Brno following a month-long injury layoff after his horrific crash in the Catalan Grand Prix.
On lap 12 in Montmelo, Marquez was left with no time to react as Pedro Acosta’s KTM lost power on the back straight. After clipping the back of his rival’s prototype, the Spaniard was a passenger as his bike veered off course and into the gravel.
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A series of violent cartwheels ensued, leaving the 30-year-old with multiple injuries, including a shattered right collarbone and a C7 vertebra fracture.
After Michele Pirro and Iker Lecuona took over his duties at the Italian Grand Prix and Hungarian Grand Prix, respectively, Gresini confirmed that Marquez will be back on the bike in Brno in the week leading up to the race weekend.
He ended the first day of practice with the 15th-fastest time, but Marquez later shared his fear of potentially ‘endangering’ his rivals due to not being back at 100% fitness.
Confirmation of his withdrawal from Gresini came after qualifying, where the Spaniard was unable to make it out of Q1 by setting the fourth fastest time of the first shootout.
On social media platform X, the Italian satellite outfit wrote, “Alex Márquez, after consulting with the team and Angel Charte, has decided to withdraw from the rest of the CzechGP, with the aim of continuing his recovery in the best possible way.”
It remains to be seen whether he will be aiming for a full comeback at the next round of racing in the Netherlands, which is scheduled for next weekend.
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