News Summary
- Samuel Antuña said Marc Márquez’s 2025 Indonesian GP crash effectively forced him to “start from zero” in his recovery after an acromioclavicular dislocation and a coracoid fracture.
- The Ducati rider later suffered dynamic compression of the radial nerve, causing him to lose control of his right arm in certain positions while riding.
- Antuña said Márquez still has room to improve but will never have a normal right arm again, making his ability to keep winning races particularly remarkable.
Marc Márquez’s physical condition remains one of the most remarkable aspects of his 2026 MotoGP campaign, and surgeon Samuel Antuña has now detailed how last year’s Indonesian GP crash fundamentally changed the Ducati rider’s recovery.
Antuña, the orthopedic surgeon responsible for Márquez’s treatment, explained that the Spaniard’s right arm had been relatively well compensated before the incident with Marco Bezzecchi at Mandalika. Márquez was still weaker on the right side after years of injuries and surgeries, but he was able to ride without significant pain or discomfort.
The Indonesian crash changed that situation completely.
“When Marc won the championship last year, after so much effort and so many setbacks, the condition of his right arm had improved a lot. From what he told us, he felt comfortable riding the new bike,” Antuña told El Periódico. “I wouldn’t dare say that his right arm was fine at that point, but he could compete and didn’t have much discomfort, even though the arm was still weak as a result of all the surgeries he had undergone on the humerus and shoulder.”
The surgeon said Márquez’s strength on the right was never comparable with that of his left, but the rider had adapted to the limitation.
“Before the accident in Indonesia he was doing well, he could compete, he didn’t have pain and he didn’t complain about anything. But that fall changed everything,” Antuña said.
The Indonesia crash forced Márquez to start over
The incident at Mandalika left Márquez with an acromioclavicular dislocation and a fracture at the base of the coracoid process. According to Antuña, properly healing the shoulder was particularly important because of the demands placed on the body by a MotoGP bike.
“For someone who rides at 350 km/h, the proper healing of that dislocation is crucial to avoid long-term problems,” the surgeon explained.
The dislocation eventually healed, but another complication emerged. The crash displaced a fragment of bone that had been used years earlier to stabilize Márquez’s shoulder.
Márquez continued racing and fighting for victories, but began experiencing pain and difficulties controlling his right arm. Those problems eventually led doctors to identify the underlying cause.
“When we examined him thoroughly, we found that one of the most important nerves in the arm, the radial nerve, was being dynamically compressed by that piece of bone,” Antuña said.
The compression meant Márquez could lose control of his arm in certain positions while riding.
“In certain positions during races and training, Marc would completely lose control of his arm, and that’s why he was falling,” the surgeon explained.
The discovery led to another operation. Márquez immediately agreed to the procedure, but the medical team brought in peripheral-nerve specialist Andrés Maldonado because of the complexity of the problem.
Doctors removed the displaced bone fragment and several screws that were in contact with the nerve. Antuña said the procedure produced a significant improvement in the arm.
The surgery was another chapter in a long physical battle that began with Márquez’s devastating right humerus fracture in 2020. He has now undergone seven operations involving the right arm and shoulder.
Márquez has adapted his riding to an altered arm
The visible difference between Márquez’s shoulders became particularly apparent after the rider posted a shirtless training photo on social media.
Antuña explained that the asymmetry is a consequence of the repeated surgeries and the resulting changes to the muscles around the shoulder and arm.
“Marc doesn’t lack muscles, but the triceps, latissimus dorsi, teres major and pectoralis major have been affected by the various surgeries. They are slightly atrophied and altered,” he said.
The biceps remains the biggest problem.
“Marc has a strong latissimus dorsi, but it is mechanically altered. The same applies to the teres major. The biggest problem is that he has lost strength in the biceps,” Antuña explained.
The surgeon emphasized that Márquez has responded by training as hard as possible and adapting his riding technique to the physical characteristics of his right arm.
That adaptation has become a crucial part of the Spaniard’s ability to remain competitive. Márquez has previously acknowledged that his physical condition still limits him, while also explaining how he has changed his riding style to compensate for the shoulder problem.
Antuña believes there is still room for improvement, particularly because Márquez’s most recent surgery took place only three months ago. But the recovery will take time.
“The biceps will improve, but it doesn’t improve as quickly or as well at 33 as it did at 22,” Antuña said.
The surgeon nevertheless made clear that Márquez’s right arm will never return to its pre-injury condition.
“We are in a process that is slow and, at the moment, he is better than he was. But he does not have a normal arm, and he never will,” Antuña said. “Marc has difficulty playing padel, and that says it all.”
“If Marc were Carlos Alcaraz, he would have had to retire”
Asked whether a tennis player with the same physical limitations could continue competing at the highest level, Antuña used Carlos Alcaraz as an example.
“If Marc were Carlos Alcaraz, he would have had to retire from professional tennis. He could play tennis, but as a fan,” the surgeon said.
The comparison illustrates the extent to which Márquez has been able to compensate for a significant physical deficit while remaining capable of competing for MotoGP victories.
Antuña described the rider as an exceptional athlete whose ability to compensate for his limitations is difficult to quantify.
“Marc has a capacity to compensate for his shortcomings that is difficult to believe,” he said. “That arm is very limited in terms of strength, especially the biceps. I think the expression that Marc is currently racing with one and a half arms fits the current condition of his right arm.”
The surgeon also praised Márquez’s attitude throughout the recovery process, saying the Ducati rider rarely complains and has continued working despite the physical difficulties.
“Clinically, it is difficult to understand what Marc is doing, the way he continues to win races,” Antuña said. “Many would have retired with the injuries Marc has suffered.”
Can Márquez still win a 10th MotoGP title?
Márquez’s physical condition is particularly relevant as the 2026 championship enters its decisive phase.
The Ducati rider arrives at the San Marino GP just 19 points behind Jorge Martín after a dominant Aragón weekend, where he collected the maximum 37 points from the Sprint and Grand Prix. Marco Bezzecchi is another 5 points behind Márquez, leaving the title fight tightly contested with nine rounds remaining.
Antuña refused to predict whether Márquez can overcome his physical limitations to win a 10th world championship.
“Nobody knows whether, with an arm that has suffered so many injuries and limitations, Marc will be able to win another championship,” he said.
What the surgeon does believe is that Márquez’s example will endure beyond his results.
“Those of us who have been fortunate enough to treat Marc personally know that his example will remain among the athletes who follow him: not only because of the courage, work ethic and determination that make what he is doing so remarkable, but also because he does it with the humility that characterizes a good person,” Antuña said.
The MotoGP season resumes from September 11-13 with the San Marino Grand Prix at Misano, the 14th round of the 2026 championship. GRANDE PRÊMIO will cover the entire weekend across MotoGP and the other World Championship categories.
FAQ
How serious is Marc Márquez’s right-arm injury?
Márquez’s right arm has been affected by multiple injuries and seven surgeries since 2020. His latest complications included an acromioclavicular dislocation, a coracoid fracture and dynamic compression of the radial nerve. His surgeon says the arm remains significantly weaker than the left and will never return to normal.
Why did Marc Márquez need another surgery in 2026?
A bone fragment displaced in the 2025 Indonesian GP crash was dynamically compressing the radial nerve, causing Márquez to lose control of his right arm in certain riding positions. Surgeons removed the fragment and several screws during his latest operation.
Can Marc Márquez still win the 2026 MotoGP championship?
Yes. Márquez remains firmly in the title fight and is 19 points behind Jorge Martín heading into the San Marino GP. However, his physical condition remains an important factor as he continues to recover from his latest surgery.
