until Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League
Honda MotoGP rider Marc Marquez will miss the MotoGP race at the Circuit of the Americas as he continues his recovery from injury.
The six-time MotoGP champion was one of the three riders hurt in the multi-bike clash he caused at the start of the Portuguese Grand Prix at Portimao, as he lost control of his Honda RC213-V and collided first with Jorge Martin and then with Miguel Oliveira.
Marquez missed the Argentine round at Termas de Rio Hondo as a result, but was aiming to at least try and make a return at COTA.
His record at the Texas venue is spectacular, Marquez having won every COTA MotoGP race between 2013 and 2018, before crashing out of a comfortable lead in 2019 and recovering to sixth from last place last year after an issue at the start.
Honda has announced Marquez has taken the decision jointly with the team and the Dr Ignacio Roger del Ona-led medical crew at Madrid’s Ruber Internacional Hospital to skip the COTA weekend.
After confirmation that “the first metacarpal [on the right hand] is still in the healing process”, the parties involved “have elected to let the injury fully heal and avoid any unnecessary risks”.
There is no update yet on the fitness of team-mate Joan Mir, put on the injury list by a crash in the Argentina sprint.
Unless Honda requests special dispensation, it may need to replace Marc Marquez – which it didn’t do in Termas. Test rider Stefan Bradl should theoretically be on call, having just tested at Jerez – where he is rumoured to have been sampling the Kalex-developed chassis Honda has reportedly commissioned.
Marquez still has a double long-lap penalty hanging over him as a result of the Portimao crash, which is theoretically on ice before the MotoGP Court of Appeal can hear Honda’s objection to the procedures surrounding that penalty.
Of the two other riders involved in the Portimao shunt, Martin already raced at Termas with relatively little impediment, while Oliveira will travel to COTA with designs on taking part in the weekend’s action.
