Bradl to replace injured Marquez at Brno MotoGP
Honda has confirmed Marc Marquez will miss this weekend’s Czech Grand Prix following a second surgery on his broken arm, with HRC test rider Stefan Bradl to step in.
Marquez broke his right arm in a crash during last month’s Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez and underwent an operation to have a titanium plate and 12 screws inserted into the humerus bone on the Tuesday following.
He attempted a sensational comeback for the Andalusian GP the following week, but had to abandon this after qualifying owing to swelling in his arm robbing him of strength.
Marquez was set to return for this week’s Brno race, but stress on the plate in his arm meant he had to have a second operation on Monday to have it replaced.
This has ruled him out of this weekend’s third round of the 2020 season at Brno and puts his title defence in serious doubt.
Honda test rider Bradl will make his 10th MotoGP appearance this weekend in the Brno race since losing his full-time Aprilia ride back in 2016, having completed four events last year and five events in 2018.
Contesting the Spanish GP as a wildcard and the German, Czech and Austrian GPs as replacement for the injured Jorge Lorenzo last year, Bradl managed a best of 10th in two of those outings.
“First of all I want to wish Marc a speedy recovery, what he did in Jerez was incredible and he showed that he has the true spirit of a champion,” Bradl said.
“I am looking forward to riding the Honda RC213V again, due to the global pandemic we have not been able to test as we would normally so it will take some time to adjust to the bike and MotoGP again but I have ridden the superbike a few times so I know my fitness is good.
“It’s a challenge I’m looking forward to, competing with the Repsol Honda Team is always a great honour and I am pleased to help Honda. Let’s see how the weekend goes.”
Marquez trails Petronas Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo by 50 points following his double non-score and the Frenchman’s double victory at Jerez.
It is unclear when he will stage his comeback, but it appears likely he will miss this triple-header in order to let his arm fully heal now that a seventh world title is all but out of reach.
Marc Marquez to miss Brno MotoGP race after more surgery
Marquez broke plate in his arm trying to open a window
Why Ducati holds all the power in its MotoGP rider dilemma
OPINION: The French Grand Prix looks to have made Ducati’s decision on its factory team line-up simpler, as Enea Bastianini stormed to his third win of the campaign and Jorge Martin crashed out for a fifth time in 2022. But, as Ducati suggests to Motorsport.com, it remains in the strongest position in a wild rider market
The seismic aftershock of Suzuki's decision to leave MotoGP
Suzuki's sudden decision to leave the MotoGP World Championship at the end of the season has acted as a stirring element in a market that had already erupted. We analyse what this means for the grid going into 2023
How the real Ducati began to emerge in MotoGP's Spanish GP
Ducati’s 2022 MotoGP bike has had a tough start to life and the expected early-season title charge from Francesco Bagnaia did not materialise. But the Spanish Grand Prix signalled a turning point for both the GP22 and Bagnaia, as the 2021 runner-up belatedly got his season underway after a straight fight with Fabio Quartararo
How praise for Honda's MotoGP bike has given way to doubt
In a little over two months, Honda has gone from setting the pace in MotoGP testing with its new RC213V prototype to being at a crossroads - caused by the discrepancy in its riders' feedback. After a Portuguese GP that underwhelmed, serious questions are now being asked of Honda in 2022
Why Quartararo's win was vital not only for his title hopes
Fabio Quartararo got his MotoGP title defence off the ground in the Portuguese Grand Prix as a dominant first win of 2022 rocketed him to the top of the standings. While a significant result in terms of his title hopes, it has come at an even more important time in terms of his 2023 contract negotiations
The MotoGP rookie fighting two fronts in his debut year
Darryn Binder has found himself in the unenviable position as MotoGP's most under-pressure rookie in 2022 having made the step directly from Moto3 with a reputation as an over-aggressive rider. This hasn't been an easy thing to shake at the start of the season, but he believes tangible progress is being made
How ‘Beast’ mode is putting Ducati in 2022 MotoGP title contention
Enea Bastianini’s second win of the 2022 campaign at COTA puts him back in the lead of the standings and once again showed the best Ducati package is still the 2021 bike. Those closest to Bastianini tell Motorsport.com why he’s so good on the GP21 relative to his factory counterparts.
How Espargaro helped Aprilia shed MotoGP's underdog tag
Aleix Espargaro became MotoGP's newest winner in a thrilling Argentina Grand Prix in which he also proved the merits of the Aprilia project. After six years of hard graft, both parties have reaped the rewards they have long thought they deserved. But it was several key moments in that journey that led both to that momentous Sunday at Termas de Rio Hondo.