Spanish rider Marc Marquez has made the difficult decision to withdraw from the MotoGP German GP after a challenging weekend that saw him involved in five crashes, resulting in a hand fracture. The Honda rider’s troubles began in FP2 when he collided with Pramac’s Johann Zarco while exiting the pitlane in pursuit of a qualifying lap time. Although both riders escaped unhurt, tensions rose as Marquez attributed blame to Zarco for the incident.
To compound his woes, Marquez suffered three more crashes during Saturday’s qualifying sessions, leaving him starting the race from seventh on the grid. Despite briefly running in fifth during the sprint race, multiple warnings from his Honda led him to back off, ultimately finishing in 11th place. Reflecting on his performance, Marquez admitted that the risks he took did not justify the results, considering the numerous crashes he had already endured.
In the 10-minute warm-up session on Sunday morning, Marquez experienced his fifth crash of the weekend at Turn 6, resulting in a small fracture in his hand. Speaking to Spanish television, Marquez expressed his doubts about his ability to continue racing, citing his physical condition and the injuries he had sustained.
Honda released a brief statement confirming Marquez’s decision to skip the German Grand Prix, without providing further details on his condition or plans. Marquez himself explained his choice, stating that he didn’t feel prepared to compete given the number of crashes and the injuries he had suffered.
The absence of Marquez from the race means that only one Honda rider, Takaaki Nakagami from LCR, will be participating in the German GP. The Honda team has already faced setbacks with Joan Mir sustaining a hand fracture and Alex Rins suffering a broken leg in separate crashes at Mugello.
Marquez’s withdrawal raises uncertainty about his participation in the upcoming Dutch GP at Assen, considering the challenges he has encountered with the Honda in Germany. Prior to his recent struggles, Marquez had achieved victory in every race he had entered at the Sachsenring circuit since the 2010 125cc grand prix.
