Márquez reaches Misano with a right arm still limited

Marc Márquez arrives at Misano 19 points behind Jorge Martín after taking 66 points out of the leader in six rounds, but the battle is not only about Ducati pace. Surgeon Samuel Antuña says Márquez’s right arm remains heavily limited in strength, especially in the biceps, after seven operations in six years. The latest procedure on that arm was on May 10, 2026. Further improvement is possible, but slower than Márquez had hoped during the summer break.

The contrast is striking: Márquez has won four of the last six Sunday races, including Aragón, while also showing at Silverstone that the arm can become a real limitation on physically demanding tracks. Misano historically suits him better, but its long loaded sections and direction changes will test endurance as much as one-lap speed.

Martín leads on 256 points, Márquez has 237 and Marco Bezzecchi 232. The first clue will come on Friday; Sunday will show whether the arm lasts the full distance.