A second operation resulted in an infection which necessitated surgery for a third time, preventing the Spaniard from riding a bike for eight months.
Recently, Márquez and his team posted videos of himself riding practice bikes and reported positively on his recovery, making a comeback at Qatar seem like a possibility.
Although his return has been delayed further, a statement from HRC said the doctor’s prognosis remains positive.
“In the review carried out on the Spanish rider by the medical team led by Doctors Samuel Antuña and Ignacio Roger de Oña, and made up of Doctors De Miguel, Ibarzabal and García Villanueva, 15 weeks after surgery for an infected pseudoarthrosis of the right humerus, a good clinical response has been found after the intensification of his training,” HRC said in its statement.
“However, considering the time period and the current state of the bone consolidation process, doctors consider it prudent and necessary not to accelerate Marquez’s return to the track after such an inactive time, and to avoid putting the humerus at risk in intense competition. Marquez will undergo another medical check on Monday, April 12.”
In spite of his enforced absence, Márquez still has a good chance of winning the 2021 title: in 2019 he won the championship with 420 points compared to Andrea Dovizioso’s 269.