Marc Marquez has broken his hand in a training accident.
The 2014 and 2015 MotoGP champion has already had a bummer season, with five crashes ruining his chances of retaining his title. Now, he has a fracture in his left hand. He’s already undergone surgery, and has a plate and screws inserted. He’s going to begin rehabilitation in 48 hours.
According to MotoGP.com, Marquez was bicycling with his brother Alex when he crashed and suffered the injury. He’s planning to travel to the Japanese GP (which runs Oct. 11), but he’s going to be have further check-ups as the race approaches. Honda’s already had one rider chewed up this season, with Dani Pedrosa taking a long time to recover from his arm pump surgery. The last thing they need is to have their other star rider limping around the track injured.
Honda has already announced HRC test rider Takumi Takahashi, three-time winner of the Suzuka 8-Hr, will be entering Motegi for Big Red on a wild card. If Marquez can’t race, maybe we’ll see Hiroshi Ayoama return to the factory team (he filled in earlier this year for Pedrosa), or Takahashi could move up to Marquez’s machinery.
Marquez should know better than to be on anything with two wheels other than his race bike with the luck he’s having. Sucks nonetheless.