Ducati Unsure if Marc Marquez Will Return for Mugello

Marc Marquez has not yet been confirmed to return for the 2026 Mugello MotoGP after undergoing shoulder and foot surgery following his major crash during the Le Mans Sprint Race.

Ducati Lenovo Team manager Davide Tardozzi admitted the Spaniard’s physical condition still requires further evaluation before the factory team can decide whether Marquez will be ready for Ducati’s home grand prix in Italy later this month.

Marquez underwent successful surgery last Sunday after suffering a fractured foot in a violent highside accident at Le Mans. However, the eight-time world champion also decided to bring forward a separate shoulder operation that had originally been scheduled for after this weekend’s Catalan Grand Prix.

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The additional procedure was necessary to relieve pressure on the radial nerve in Marquez’s right arm, a problem that has affected him throughout the 2026 MotoGP season and left him describing himself as “riding with one and a half arms”.

Doctors reportedly removed one bent screw, one broken screw, and a bone fragment from Marquez’s previous 2019 surgery. The damage originated from his collision with Marco Bezzecchi at Mandalika last season.

“The surgery went well, especially the shoulder procedure alongside the foot operation. Now we need to wait a little longer to understand what his physical condition will be like in the near future,” Tardozzi told Sky Italia in Barcelona.

When asked whether Marquez could return for the Mugello MotoGP on May 29-31, Tardozzi stressed Ducati still has no clear answer.

“The goal is obviously to return as soon as possible, but we still don’t know when. Today we cannot say whether he will race at Mugello,” Tardozzi explained.

Despite the uncertainty, Ducati admitted it has been highly impressed by what Marquez achieved this season considering the physical condition he had been hiding from the public.

“Knowing what happened and what the doctors explained to us, I think Marquez once again showed that he is a superhero and a super rider,” Tardozzi said.

“With a physical condition like that, I don’t think any other rider could have achieved what he managed to do this season,” he added.

Marquez’s absence means Pecco Bagnaia will be Ducati Lenovo Team’s only rider during this weekend’s Catalan MotoGP.

Tardozzi also confirmed Ducati is not required to replace Marquez for Catalunya because MotoGP regulations allow teams to avoid appointing a substitute rider during back-to-back race weekends. However, if Marquez is still unfit for Mugello, Ducati will be forced to field a replacement rider.