Marquez: Arm recovery still "too slow" in MotoGP 2021

Marquez comes into this weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Misano fresh off the back of a dominant win at a stronghold for the Honda rider at the Circuit of the Americas.

The Texan venue’s anticlockwise layout suits him better generally, but more so in 2021 given the limitations he has in his recovering right shoulder following his career-threatening arm break last season.

Despite this, Marquez has consistently fought for the top five in recent races, which is something he “predicted” – but concedes this is still far from the level he wants to be at.

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“Yeah, I keep improving but it’s too slow,” Marquez said, when asked if he felt closer to his old self following his Austin win.

“It’s really slow, the comeback is difficult. Even like this, I’m able to ride in an acceptable way and I’m able to finish on the podium three times this year.

“Still, it’s not the performance I would like, so still we need to keep pushing, keep going, three races to go.

“But what I predict in this second part of the season is what’s going on: I’m closer to the top five positions, I’m closer to the top guys.

“So, this was the target and at the moment I can achieve every weekend.”

Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Marquez anticipated a difficult weekend the last time MotoGP visited Misano for the San Marino GP in September, but came away with a better-than-expected fourth at a predominantly right-handed track.

He has his sights set on a top five result again this weekend on MotoGP’s return to the circuit, but hopes to make bigger gains here and at the clockwise Algarve track next month.

“Of course, I arrive here at Misano with the feeling of the test rather than the Austin race, because we know Austin is a special circuit and still I feel a big difference between left and right corners,” Marquez added.

“But anyway, Misano was better than what we expected before the race.

“In the end I finished fourth and it was a result I didn’t expect on that Sunday.

“But this weekend we will see, we will try to do another small step.

“To try to be in the top five will be a good result. But it’s true that here in Misano and Portimao I would like to be a bit faster on these right-cornered circuits.”