After missing the Algarve Grand Prix due to what appeared to be only a mild concussion remedied in a training accident, Marc Márquez will not be on track this weekend in Valencia and next week’s collective testing in Jerez either.
In addition to the concussion, in fact, the eight-time world champion also accused of problems related to sight. As in 2011, Marc is suffering from a diplopia linked to paralysis of a muscle in his right eye, which is currently unable to turn. # 93 spoke of “indefinite absence”, although no operations have been planned at the moment.
Stefan Bradl was Marquez’s replacement throughout the 2020 season and at the start of the current one, when the Spaniard was struggling with an injury to his right arm. He also replaced him last week in Portimao. However, Honda decided not to use its test driver at the Valencia race.
The German will be back in the saddle in the Jerez tests, so Pol Espargaro will be the only rider of the factory team at the last round of 2021.
“First of all, I wish Marc all the best in this difficult time and I hope he recovers quickly,” said Espargaro, who finished sixth in the Algarve Grand Prix. “Obviously his absence will be felt, but we still come to Valencia motivated to do the best possible job.”
Pol Espargaro likes the Valencia track, even if his only victory dates back to when he was racing in the CEV. However, he was able to get on the podium both at the time of the 125cc and in the MotoGP, as well as having signed the pole position in one of the two races last year.
“It’s a track that I really like, I got my first MotoGP podium here in 2018 and I think we can go well this year too. At this time of the year it’s a very good track and this works in our favor. In this last race I want to try to be as fast as in the most recent before starting to think about 2022 from Jerez “, he concluded.
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