Why the Spaniard, six-time MotoGP world champion, will probably not win this Sunday in Spielberg either.
There are only two race tracks on the calendar that Marc Márquez has not yet won: Portimão in the Algarve and in Spielberg. Styria is thus still a blank spot on the Marquez map of victories. He will tackle the Styrian GP on Sunday (2 p.m. / live on ServusTV) from eighth place.
Márquez, the dominator on two wheels in recent years, is still not 100 percent after his fall in 2020 and the complicated fracture of the upper arm, as he himself admits. In Spielberg, his arm is not as strained as on some other racetracks, because the changes in direction on the Red Bull Ring do not generate too much pressure.
It is not Marquez's first serious injury in his career. A few years ago he had major problems with his eyes, even then patience was required. And it paid off: Márquez dominated the following Moto2 season, secured the title and then moved up to MotoGP to become the official Honda factory rider.
When he looks back on the injury at the time, the Spaniard thinks: “It's not comparable. When I had vision problems, it all went faster. It only took three months. The doctors said at the time that they were not sure whether I could ride a motorcycle again. In the end it was and still is. The thing with the eyes only required one operation and everything was fine again, ”he says on motorsport.com .
Patience is required
His arm injury, by contrast, is a much longer story. Márquez worked with his physiotherapist, who even lived in his house for a year and was available 24/7. The Spaniard, who had only received the green light for racing in March 2021, also toiled on his fitness during the five-week summer break. He only tackles the Styrian GP from eighth place, he needs a miracle race to be able to celebrate his premiere in Spielberg after all.
