This weekend it's the ninth round of the MotoGP championship in Catalonia which will keep us in suspense, a meeting where there will be a big absentee in the person of Marc Marquez. The latter flew to the United States to place his right arm, still bruised since his heavy fall in Jerez in 2020, in the expert hands of specialists. He will be operated on a fourth time and, according to the eight-time World Champion, it will be the last... Meanwhile, in silence, his Repsol Honda team drives towards Barcelona with Stefan Bradl in his luggage...
Thursday June 2 at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Marc Marquez will be operated on for the fourth time on the right humerus by Dr. Joaquin Sanchez Sotelo. A fourth operation made necessary to allow the Spaniard to regain, above all, a life without suffering and, we hope, the pleasure of driving with his flamboyant style, which he is incapable of doing today in both cases. . Payback times, as the one under contract said Honda until 2024 will depend on the outcome of the operation. He posted on his social network what must be identified as a departure towards his destiny…
An event which does not, however, stop the season since this weekend, the World Championship MotoGP turns on its traffic lights again to welcome the ninth round of the season. The Repsol Honda team will field two drivers there. Stefan bradl indeed takes up residence alongside Pol Espargaro.
The latter grew up not far from the Montmèlo circuit which will host the event. After several difficult races, the youngest I will espargaro will want to put on a show for the local fans and give them the opportunity to celebrate a good result. However, his best score in the premier category at home is fifth place in… 2016. “ I know the home fans will give me an extra boost this weekend " commented Pol Espargaro as if to give heart to the work.
« I'm here for whatever HRC and the Repsol Honda team needs until Marc Marquez returns«
« After a few tough races, this is exactly what I need to get our year back to where it should be he adds. " I arrive more motivated and focused than ever and from free practice 1, we will work to achieve our goals. There are still a lot of races to do and what we find in these races can help us a lot at the end of the year. Also with Monday's test we will have a lot of time on the bike to be able to understand everything », concludes the Catalan pilot.
Stefan bradl will accompany again Pol Espargaro on the other side of the box Repsol Honda Team, in their fifth race as partners. This is the third time that Bradl will race in 2022, after placing 19th in Argentina and suffering a DNF at Jerez while racing as a wild card. The German has a solid and consistent points record at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Losing points just once in his six premier class races at Montmèlo, he boasts a best finish of fifth in 2013 and 2014.
« First of all, I wish Marc the best for his surgery and recovery he says. " I'm here for whatever HRC and the Repsol Honda team needs until Marc returns. We have all seen the level in MotoGP, so we know the challenge ahead of us, but I am convinced that by working with Honda and the team we can achieve something. Let's see what the weekend has in store for us, it will be important to do a lot of laps and prepare well for Monday's test », concludes the test pilot Honda.
