Marc Marquez operated on after Le Mans: Ducati loses the champion, but the real goal is to save the season

Double surgery in Madrid after the crash in the French GP

Marc Marquez has stopped again. The crash in the Le Mans Sprint forced the Ducati rider into another setback, turning a difficult weekend into one of the most delicate moments of his MotoGP 2026 season. The Spanish rider was operated on in Madrid for a fracture of the fifth metatarsal in his right foot, but the real issue shaking the paddock concerns the second procedure carried out in the same hours: the one on his right shoulder.

A decision that Ducati and Marquez chose to tackle immediately, taking advantage of the forced stoppage to definitively solve a physical problem that, according to what emerged in the last few hours, would have affected the performance of the number 93 in recent races.

The shoulder problem that had worried Marquez for weeks

The radial nerve and the screw that was affecting his riding

Behind the difficulties shown by Marquez in recent rounds there was not only a technical issue or an adjustment to the Desmosedici. After some specialist checks carried out in recent weeks, the rider would have discovered that a screw in the right shoulder area was putting pressure on the radial nerve, limiting sensitivity and control of the arm.

A situation that would explain the inconsistent performances seen from Jerez onwards, with unusual errors and sudden crashes that had surprised even the Ducati pits. Marquez would have felt a clear difference between his physical condition in everyday life and that on the bike, especially in direction changes and during phases of greater physical stress.

The new procedure is aimed precisely at definitively eliminating that discomfort which, according to the rider's entourage, had become increasingly difficult to manage.

Ducati loses Marquez for two GPs

He will miss Barcelona, Mugello remains a target

After Le Mans, Ducati confirmed that Marquez will not take part in the Catalan Grand Prix either. The enforced stoppage will allow the Spaniard to focus completely on recovery, avoiding unnecessary risks in a phase of the season already compromised from a standings point of view.

The realistic target is now Mugello, a key appointment for both Ducati and the eight-time world champion. However, in the Ducati pits there is caution. No one wants to accelerate the timescale, especially considering the importance of fully recovering both from the foot problem and from the shoulder operation.

MotoGP World Championship 2026: the title chase becomes complicated

The standings are weighing heavily, but Ducati is thinking long term

The stoppage comes at the worst possible moment. Marquez is currently in fifth place in the MotoGP World Championship and the gap to the top has increased significantly after the French weekend. Missing two consecutive races risks turning the title fight into an almost impossible mission.

Yet, inside the Ducati team, the thinking seems to go beyond the immediate. Getting a 100 per cent Marquez back could in fact completely change the second half of the season. In recent months the rider had often shown outright speed at the very highest level, however alternated with unexpected mistakes and inconsistent performances.

The feeling in the paddock is that the physical problem had a greater impact than initially emerged.

Marquez wants to be back in the spotlight

“The priority is to recover well”

The message coming from Marquez's close circle is clear: there is no need for rushed returns, but for a full recovery. After years marked by operations, crashes and complicated recoveries, the Spanish rider knows perfectly well the risk of rushing the process.

For this reason Ducati and the medical staff will follow an extremely cautious programme in the coming weeks. The Mugello remains in the background as a possible date for the return to the track, but every decision will only be taken after the final medical checks.

In the meantime the MotoGP World Championship loses one of its most eagerly awaited protagonists, while Ducati hopes that this stoppage can turn into the turning point of Marquez's season.