Marc Marquez will sit out the Catalan Grand Prix this weekend in Barcelona, with Ducati confirming they will not field a replacement rider for the injured six-time world champion. Marquez's Honda will remain in the garage as the factory team goes into the race with just Pecco Bagnaia on the grid.
The Spanish star suffered a fractured fifth metatarsal in his right foot during the Sprint race at Le Mans, forcing him into surgery on Sunday. Doctors also addressed complications in his right shoulder, where a previously implanted metal pin had broken and shifted, pressing against the radial nerve. Recovery timelines remain unclear, leaving Marquez’s return date uncertain.
Under MotoGP rules, teams are permitted to keep a rider’s bike unused for a race weekend if the rider is injured, which is the course Ducati has chosen for Barcelona. Should Marquez still be sidelined for the upcoming Mugello round, the factory squad will then be required to find a substitute.
This development leaves Bagnaia as Ducati’s sole contender at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, intensifying pressure on the Italian as the team aims to maintain its championship momentum without their marquee rider.
