MotoGP Portimao: Marquez undergoes surgery, will miss Argentina

Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez will miss the second round of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship in Argentina this weekend after undergoing surgery to treat a broken hand following his smash in Portimao.

Marquez triggered a spectacular accident that eliminated himself, Miguel Oliveira and Jorge Martin from the lead fight during the main Portuguese MotoGP race on Sunday.

Leading to Marquez and Oliveira spiralling off their bikes and into retirement, though Oliveira - who was on the receiving end of the impact when the Spaniard got his braking wrong into Turn 3 on lap three - it is the eight-time MotoGP World Champion who picked up the more serious injury of a broken first metacarpal in his right hand.

As such, Marquez underwent surgery overnight at the Ruber Internacional Hospital in Madrid with Dr. Ignacio Roger de Oña leading a team consisting of Dr. Samuel Antuña and Dr. Andrea Garcia Villanueva.

It means he won’t recover in time for the second round in Argentina, which gets underway at the Termas de Rio Hondo circuit in five days time.

“The surgery consisted of a closed reduction of the fracture and internal fixation of the same with two screws and passed without incident,” read a statement from the team.

“Marc Marquez and the Repsol Honda Team have elected for the eight-time World Champion to miss the next round of the World Championship to fully focus on recovery and arrive at the forthcoming rounds in the best possible condition.”

Repsol Honda is yet to announce whether it will replace Marquez on the factory HRC RC213V but development rider Stefan Bradl has often been on hand to take his place during Marquez’s absences in recent years.

Marquez has received a double long lap penalty as punishment for his part in the