After being diagnosed with diplopia following a motocross accident in October 2021, Marc Marquez has been cleared by doctors to ride at the official Sepang test on Saturday, February 5th.
His preparation has so far consisted of tests at Portimao and Aragon last week, and before that a quick razz on a Honda motocross machine.
Due to link up with teammate Pol Espargaro at Sepang, the duo will look to begin some crucial work on testing the heavily revised RC213V.
The team released this statement, via MotoGP.com:
"Throughout the winter Marquez has had continual medical checks and consultations to monitor his diplopia. In recent weeks the improvements in his condition saw his medical team deem his recovery sufficient to return to training on two wheels. The #93 first returned to the motocross track before trying the Honda RC213V-S in Portimao and a Honda CBR600RR in Aragon.
"Last Monday, January 24, Marquez underwent another medical check which reconfirmed that the treatment has been a complete success and the eight-time World Champion is in a suitable condition to ride a MotoGP bike.
"Therefore, it has been decided that Marquez will start his 2022 campaign at the first official MotoGP Test in Sepang before heading to Mandalika, Indonesia the following week. This will be Marquez’s first time back on a MotoGP machine since winning the 2021 Emilia Romagna GP ahead of Pol Espargaro.
"The Repsol Honda Team will head to the first test of the new season at full strength with Marquez alongside Pol Espargaro, who enters his second year with the team.”
Marc Marquez will ride at Sepang test with HRC
If there’s one thing you can’t fault is the tenacity of Marc Marquez, when faced with some serious injuries that would make most reconsider riding on the top-of-the-line machinery, he just keeps on at it. Even if that does involve some pretty hefty offs in the process.
In fact, I had to look it up. Marc Marquez crashed 22 times in 2021, only second to Iker Lecuona who crashed 26 times. The next ‘top crasher’ in MotoGP was Pol Espargaro, with 20 offs.
That either reinforces your opinion on the HRC duo, or underscores just how difficult that generation of RC213V was to ride - which is exactly what the team will be addressing in Sepang, so it’s huge for Honda to have both riders primed and ready.
