DANI PEDROSA SAYS MARC MARQUEZ’S RIVALS CAN PRESSURE HIS RIGHT SHOULDER

Dani Pedrosa has reacted to Marc Marquez’s recent decision to publicly show the “true” condition of his injured shoulder, warning that the move could give his rivals a clear target during races. Marquez drew attention after posting an image from training that revealed scars and scrapes on his right arm, following a period of nerve-related problems after his Indonesia crash last year. After surgery, the six-time champion has returned strongly, including a comeback from being 102 points behind in Mugello, and he has since delivered five wins from the last eight races. With the championship picture tightening, Pedrosa believes the next step for other riders is to apply pressure specifically to Marquez’s right shoulder.

Pedrosa, speaking to DAZN, said he understands why Marquez felt compelled to address the situation, but he also framed the disclosure as something competitors can exploit. “My shoulder isn’t in the same condition as Marquez’s, but it’s quite badly injured,” Pedrosa said. He added that during his own racing career he chose not to explain the extent of his problems: “I didn’t talk about how it was during my racing career because I didn’t want to reveal my weaknesses.”

On Marquez, Pedrosa suggested the post may have been intended to end speculation, but that it also made the injury easier to attack. “He’s had no choice but to do it, whether to put it out of his mind or to put a stop to the speculation,” Pedrosa said. “But, in any case, his rivals already knew the state of his shoulder; now they’ve seen it for themselves.” He continued: “They know full well that, at some point during the race, they can put extra pressure on him to make him suffer.”

The warning comes as the calendar shifts toward tracks that could be tougher on Marquez’s right arm, with several venues described as “anti-Marquez” and run clockwise—conditions that can increase strain. Pedrosa also noted that Marquez missed the final four races of 2025 due to injury, leaving the possibility that opponents will look to test him when fatigue and load build.

Other voices in the report highlighted the unusual nature of Marquez’s social media approach. Neil Hodgson said he could not understand why Marquez would share a weakness with rivals, even though it did not appear to hurt him at Misano. The article also referenced Raul Fernandez’s earlier expectation that Marquez would “suffer” at Misano, only for Marquez to score maximum points and move level with Jorge Martin at the top of the standings.

Finally, Sylvain Guintoli suggested that despite Marquez signing with Ducati until 2028, there remains a possibility he could retire in 2026 if he wins the championship.