Eight-time world champion, Marc Marquez will compete in the COTA round in Austin, Texas this weekend Repsol Honda has confirmed.
Marquez was forced to skip last weekend’s Argentina MotoGP after suffering a concussion in a tremendous warm-up highside, his fourth fall of a tough Indonesian tournament. Marquez was later diagnosed with another attack of diplopia, causing him to miss the Mandalika race.
From late October to mid-January, Marquez was unable to ride any type of motorcycle due to a double-vision impairment.
Thankfully, the nerve damage to his right eye was less serious this time, and Marquez will now return to action for Repsol Honda at one of his most successful circuits after confirming no vision concerns during a track test with a CBR600RR at Alcarras on Tuesday.
After consulting with his medical team and receiving clearance, the choice was made.
“Doctors have cleared Marc Marquez for a return to Grand Prix competition after his fall in Warm Up at the Indonesian GP and subsequent diplopia diagnosis,” read a statement from Repsol Honda.
“The Repsol Honda Team rider has completed his conservative treatment plan and is ready to return to action at Round 4, the Grand Prix of The Americas in Austin, Texas.”
“Before heading for the US, he confirmed his feelings and vision on a CBR600RR around the Alcarras circuit.”
Marc Marquez was also happy to be back: “Of course I am very happy to be back, it’s a great feeling to return and especially to do it at one of my favourite tracks,” he said.
“No matter the situation, I really enjoy riding in Texas and have incredible memories there.”
“We have some work to do after missing two races and the whole Argentina weekend so I am not here to set one target at the moment.”
“There’s many things to do and consider, but the important thing is that we are back on the bike this weekend.”
Marquez has a perfect record at COTA, winning every MotoGP race there except one in 2019, when he wrecked while leading.
His triumph last year was his second since returning from a seriously broken arm in 2020, and he followed it up with a victory in the season’s next race at Misano.
Marquez, on the other hand, crashed a motocross bike while practicing shortly after. He was initially diagnosed with concussion and then diplopia, which held him out of the final two rounds of the 2021 season as well as post-season testing.
Since winning his sixth MotoGP title with ease in 2019, injuries have stopped Marquez from completing a full season, with issues from a fractured arm in Jerez 2020, late-2021 diplopia (following an enduro training accident), and now the Mandalika highside.
Marquez first developed diplopia after an accident in Sepang in 2011, denying him the chance to compete for the Moto2 title in Valencia against Stefan Bradl. In Argentina, Bradl, who is now an HRC test rider, took over for Marquez.
His recuperation has been faster this time, as team principal Alberto Puig predicted in Argentina.
Marquez is currently in 15th place in the championship standings, while teammate Pol Espargaro has dropped to 10th after crashing out of fourth place in the Argentina race.
