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Marc Marquez is set to make his comeback from his latest operation by riding in next week’s Misano MotoGP test, Repsol Honda has announced.
The six-time premier class champion has just notched up another day on a CBR600RR Supersport bike at Aragon, leading to the decision to fly to Misano.
It has now been more than three months since Marquez raced, having undergone surgery for a fourth time in June on the arm which he badly broke in the 2020 Spanish Grand Prix.
He got back onto a motorcycle for the first time since that operation on Wednesday, and again two days later, as his team-mates took part in practice for the San Marino Grand Prix.
“Satisfied with the condition of his right arm, Marc Marquez will travel to Misano with the intention of riding the Honda RC213V during the post-race test,” read a team statement.
“After two positives tests aboard a Honda CBR600RR at the MotorLand Aragon circuit on August 31 and September 02, Marc Marquez has gained valuable knowledge on the condition of his arm.
“With the information gained and satisfied with the progress of his right humerus, Marquez will now travel to the San Marino GP with the intention of testing his physical condition further on his Honda RC213V during the post-race MotoGP test.
“The eight-time World Champion will arrive in Misano on Friday evening to once again observe and work alongside the Repsol Honda Team and HRC before aiming to take to the circuit on Tuesday.”
— Repsol Honda Team (@HRC_MotoGP) September 2, 2022
How many laps the 29-year-old completes remains to be seen, with Honda seemingly satisfied even if he rides just a handful, based on comments from Team Manager Alberto Puig at the Austrian Grand Prix a fortnight ago.
“I personally think he won’t be there for the race, but if he can be there for the test, and even if it’s not to be doing a 100 laps a day test, but if he can do four outings to say ‘hey, no, or yes, it looks like this,’ it will be very important,” he said on DAZN.
“If he’s not at the Misano test, it will be more of the same, because it will be a long time without Marc at the test. So, it will be complicated.”
Puig added, “Normally, the Misano test is very important to prepare a ‘prototype’ for Valencia [post-season test].
“If he’s not there, we’ll go as we’ve been going so far, a bit blind, honestly.”
As his team boss said, Marquez’s participation in the test is a key part of Honda’s bid to reverse its woeful form and get back on top in MotoGP, the very opposite of its current position in the constructors’ championship.
