Marc Marquez to attend Austrian MotoGP: ‘Honda is in a critical moment’

May’s Italian round was Marquez’s last MotoGP appearance before heading to the USA for a fourth operation on his troublesome right arm, this time to help realign the bone.

The Spaniard’s training regime continues to be steadily ramped up and a decision on when he will be able to get back on his RCV could be made after the next medical check, at the end of this month.

“Step by step I am feeling better, and the bone is healing in a good way, which is the best news of all,” Marquez said. “We are still in rehabilitation mode; I am working very hard on the cardio side to try and be ready.

“At the end of August, I have another medical check, from there we can make another step with the rehabilitation and really start pushing and building muscles. Some days are better than others, but this is all part of the journey.

“I’m optimistic, but I don’t want to say too much about timings until we have this check – it’s not the time to push too much. I have waited a long time for these kinds of feelings.

“It has been a struggle, it’s not two days or two months I have been struggling, it’s two years,” he continued. “I won some races last year like this, but I was struggling a lot.

“In Jerez I realised something had to change. It was hard and is hard now mentally – not because I am not racing, but because you always have this doubt about the arm.

“I can’t have another operation. I am convinced this one will be good, but these thoughts are always there in the back of your mind.”

Marc Marquez: 'Honda is in a critical moment... I'll go to Austria'

Admitting he disconnected too much during the previous operation, Marquez has been making more effort to keep in touch with his team and HRC test rider Stefan Bradl in order to stay 'fresh' for his return.

As part of that process, Marquez will be with the Repsol Honda team in Austria to plan for the future.

Honda has only taken one podium so far this season with its radically revised 2022 machine and is currently last in the constructors' standings. No RCV riders have finished inside the top six for the past five races.

LCR's Takaaki Nakagami had a new chassis to try at Silverstone but used the word 'lost' repeatedly over the British GP weekend, while team-mate Alex Marquez explained that turning problems exist from the moment the bike begins to lean until it is finally upright again on corner exit.

“Honda is in a critical moment," Marc Marquez said. "I am speaking a lot with my team and trying to understand the 2022 bike, the situation and what is happening.

"This is why I will go to Austria, to speak to everyone and to meet with the HRC staff from Japan to work for the future. We are all working together, we win together, we lose together, and we will come back together.

“I’m speaking a lot with Stefan Bradl as well, us and Santi are working together and testing things – both know how I ride. I said in Mugello that I will be at home, but I want to stay connected.

“With the previous operation I disconnected too much, and I want to be involved so that when I come back, I will have everything fresh.”

September's Misano test, traditionally the first chance to try prototype machines for the following season, has long been rumoured as a possible return venue for Marquez.

Marquez is expected to be joined by Joan Mir at Repsol Honda next season, with current team-mate Pol Espargaro set to rejoin KTM and Tech3.