Marc Marquez returns to MotoGP action at Le Mans

The eight-time world champion has finally been cleared to ride - by three separate medical teams - after being ruled out of Argentina, COTA and Jerez due to a delicate thumb fracture when he lost control under braking and collided with Miguel Oliveira in Portugal.

“I am really happy to be back with the Repsol Honda Team, about to ride my bike again," Marquez said.

"First of all I want to thank my medical team for their professionalism and advice over the past few weeks. Of course as a rider you always want to be back as soon as possible, but with an injury like this it was really important to allow it to heal.

"Now I am here and fully focused on riding, I have no worries about the injury since it’s fully healed. Let’s see what the French GP brings and most importantly, work to our maximum.”

The eight-time world champion is 80 points behind reigning champion and 2023 title leader Francesco Bagnaia, but with 592 points still available (92 more than the entire 2022 season) under the new Sprint (12 points) + GP (25) race weekend format.

Marquez's double Long Lap penalty for causing the accident with Oliveira was 'annulled' by the MotoGP Court of Appeal on Tuesday.

In giving their verdict, the Court of Appeal noted that Marquez had asked the FIM Stewards in Portimao if the sanction was to be served exclusively in Argentina or at the next race in which he would participate.

Told that it was only Argentina, Marquez again asked if the sanction would be deemed served if he didn't take part in that race, which was also confirmed verbally by the FIM Stewards.

But when Marquez, already wearing a cast after the Portimao race on March 26, underwent surgery on the metacarpal fracture the following day, the FIM Stewards sought to revise the application of the Long Lap penalty from 'Argentina' to Marquez's 'next race'.

That change has now been overturned by the MotoGP Court of Appeal.

The #93, winless since Misano 2021, told the media at the previous Jerez round that there was a risk to his career if he returned before the fracture was fully healed since it could re-open under the stress of braking.

Meanwhile, Oliveira, who missed Argentina due to ligament damage from the Marquez incident, will be absent from the French MotoGP after dislocating his left shoulder when he was taken down by Fabio Quartararo's fallen bike on the opening lap of the Spanish Grand Prix.