Marc Marquez Breaks Down: “I’m Riding with One and a Half Arms”

Marc Marquez has revealed the serious physical condition he had been hiding throughout the 2026 MotoGP season following his major crash during the French MotoGP Sprint Race at Le Mans. In Ducati’s latest Inside Ducati video, the Ducati rider became emotional while explaining that he had been racing with significant nerve problems affecting his right arm.

The reigning MotoGP world champion fractured his foot in a violent highside crash during Saturday’s Sprint Race. However, after being declared unfit for the main grand prix, Marquez also confirmed that he would undergo shoulder surgery which had already been planned before the Le Mans weekend.

The operation was ultimately brought forward so it could be carried out alongside surgery for his foot injury. In the Inside Ducati footage, Marquez is seen speaking directly with key Ducati personnel including Gigi Dall’Igna and crew chief Marco Rigamonti inside the team garage.

Baca JugaJadwal Lengkap Moto3 Catalunya 2026 dan Agenda Veda Ega

Fighting back tears, Marquez admitted he had been dealing with a serious issue caused by a damaged screw in his right shoulder that was compressing the radial nerve in his arm.

“I didn’t say anything…” Marquez began before pausing as emotions overwhelmed him.

“There’s a screw causing nerve problems. Sometimes it’s there, sometimes it disappears. That’s why the operation had already been scheduled after Catalunya. I’m riding with one and a half arms,” he explained.

Marquez stated that the damaged screw originated from his crash during the 2025 Indonesian Grand Prix. Following that accident, the screw reportedly shifted position and began touching the nerve responsible for controlling three fingers and much of the strength in his right arm.

According to Marquez, the condition caused a major loss of strength whenever he adopted a full riding position, particularly during fast corners or qualifying time attacks.

“After Jerez I went for a medical check because I felt something was wrong. When I get into the riding position, the broken screw touches the nerve. It takes away my strength,” he said.

The Spanish rider also admitted that several crashes this season happened without him actually pushing the bike to its absolute limit.

“There have been crashes where I honestly don’t understand why they happened. I wasn’t pushing or riding at the limit. In Jerez I lost the front in a fast corner because I couldn’t fully push the bike,” Marquez added.

Despite the severe physical problems, Marquez still managed to remain competitive throughout the early stages of the 2026 campaign. Only hours before his Sprint Race crash at Le Mans, he shocked Ducati by breaking the circuit lap record while progressing through Q1.

“I don’t need to prove anything. I can still be fast. The problem is I’m always half a second away from my real limit,” Marquez admitted.

Marquez also revealed that he personally asked Ducati to keep the injury secret so he could continue racing weekends without additional media pressure or constant questions inside the paddock.

Following surgery, doctors successfully removed two damaged screws and bone fragments that had been compressing the radial nerve. Marquez will now miss this weekend’s Catalan Grand Prix while Francesco Bagnaia becomes Ducati Lenovo Team’s sole rider in Barcelona.