Marquez MotoGP recovery on track amid treatment for double vision

Six-time MotoGP world champion Marquez has been out of action since suffering vision problems following a concussion suffered in a training crash ahead of the Portuguese Grand Prix in November.

The 28-year-old missed the final two races and post-season test after he was diagnosed suffering from double vision – diplopia – in one of his eyes. Marquez had damaged the same eye nerve in 2011 in a Moto2 crash at Sepang which initially threatened to curtail his racing career.

Repsol Honda has issued an update on Marquez’s condition and states he “progresses adequately with diplopia diagnosis” following two months of treatment.

While the statement does not announce an exact date for Marquez’s recovery, it confirms he is stepping up pre-season preparations to be physically fit for the 2022 campaign. MotoGP track action starts next year with a Sepang shakedown test on 31 January-2 February before an official test, which Marquez would take part in if available, on 5-6 February at the Malaysian GP venue.

“The Repsol Honda Team rider, who last October was diagnosed with an episode of diplopia after suffering a fall while training for the Portuguese GP, has continued periodic visits to his trusted ophthalmologist to assess the evolution of his vision over the past two months,” a team statement read.

“During these reviews the progress made has been deemed favourable and as a result Marquez will continue with a conservative treatment plan for the next few weeks.

“Marc Marquez will continue to undergo periodic reviews with Dr Sanchez Dalmau during the coming weeks alongside the conservative treatment plan.

“The situation does not prevent the rider from Cervera from continuing his physical training plan to prepare himself physically for a new season.”

Speaking during last month’s Valencia GP, Honda MotoGP boss Alberto Puig said both the team and the rider needed to be patient and positive given the delicate nature of Marquez’s recovery.

“It’s not so easy to know how a nerve can react or an eye can react,” Puig said.

“But the doctor was positive and he of course mentioned that we have to be patient, because this is not like you crash and you put [in] a plate and race next week.

“This is more serious and will need some time. Of course, I want to be confident, I’m not a doctor but I hear what the doctor said and of course we have to think positive.”

Marquez missed the chance to ride Honda’s 2022 MotoGP bike at the post-season Jerez test in November due to his condition.

His current injury marks another blow in a wretched two years for the Spaniard, having effectively missed the entire 2020 season after breaking his arm in the opening race at Jerez which required multiple surgeries, and also forced him to sit out the winter tests and the opening two rounds of this season.

Marquez did produce an encouraging comeback with three wins in 2021 before being ruled out of the final two races this year.