ALEX MARQUEZ BEGINS RECOVERY AFTER SHOULDER SURGERY

Alex Marquez has begun recovering at home after undergoing surgery in Madrid to address lingering problems with his right shoulder and remove fixation hardware from previous injuries. The Gresini rider said the operation, performed at Ruber Internacional Hospital, was completed without complications.

Marquez had announced after the Malaysian Grand Prix that he would miss the Qatar round for surgery. He hopes to return for the Portuguese Grand Prix in Portimao on 20–22 November, with the Valencia season finale a week later. The shoulder trouble stemmed from a crash in Barcelona in mid-May, when he collided with Pedro Acosta’s KTM, and had continued to affect him during the season. “Since my crash in Barcelona I’ve had problems,” he said. “It became clear that three races in a row were too much for me and that now was the time to intervene.”

In a social media update, Marquez said surgeons removed fixation plates and other hardware from his right collarbone and hand. They also removed a small bursa in his right shoulder, which helps reduce friction between tendons and the joint. He said the procedure was performed arthroscopically, making it minimally invasive.

“I was operated on at Hospital Ruber Internacional in Madrid by Dr Samuel Antuña and his medical team,” he wrote. “The operation went without complications, and now my recovery at home begins.” He thanked the medical team and described the surgery as “one more step toward getting back to 100 per cent.”

Marquez’s Malaysian weekend included a crash while leading the sprint, followed by third place in the Grand Prix behind his brother Marc and Acosta. He said after the race that he could not continue without surgery. His result left him eighth in the 2026 standings on 197 points, 39 behind Raul Fernandez.

Gresini will also be without team-mate Fermin Aldeguer in Qatar. Aldeguer is recovering from a broken hand sustained in a crash in Indonesia, leaving Iker Lecuona as the Italian team’s only rider for the event. The WorldSBK regular has again been called up to stand in, having also replaced Aldeguer in Sepang.