Marc Marquez's arm at 50% strength after Indonesia crash
Marc Marquez's surgeon reveals the 2026 MotoGP champion's right arm operates at only half its capacity due to nerve damage and muscle atrophy from multiple
Marc Marquez's right arm is operating at only about 50 percent of its capacity, according to his surgeon. The seven-time MotoGP champion's physical struggles in the 2026 season stem from a complicated shoulder fracture sustained in a collision with Marco Bezzecchi at the 2025 Indonesian Grand Prix.
Dr. Samuel Antuna, Marquez's surgeon, told El Periodico that the crash "changed everything." He explained that before the accident, the Ducati rider was performing well without pain. The impact of the injury, however, created a lingering nerve issue that plagued the start of Marquez's title defence this year.
Nerve issue led to crashes
The nerve problem caused metalwork from previous surgeries to scrape against a nerve while riding. This led to Marquez suddenly losing feeling in his arm, which contributed to multiple crashes early in the 2026 season. A corrective surgery in May resolved that specific issue. Since that operation, Marquez has won four grands prix and closed a championship deficit from 102 points after Mugello to just 19 points from the lead.
Despite this competitive resurgence, his physical condition remains significantly weaker than in 2025. Dr. Antuna stated, "The strength he could exert with his right arm was not comparable to his left." Marquez now must approach race weekends more cautiously to preserve strength in the compromised limb.
Extent of muscular damage
A recent training picture posted by Marquez revealed the extent of the damage to his right arm after seven career surgeries. Dr. Antuna analyzed the rider's current physical state. "He has a strong latissimus dorsi, but it is mechanically compromised," the surgeon said. "The same applies to the teres major. The main problem, however, is that he has lost strength in his biceps."
Antuna elaborated that Marquez is not missing muscles, but key muscle groups have been altered by the operations. "The triceps, the latissimus dorsi, the teres major, and the pectoralis major have been affected by the various surgeries," he explained. "They are slightly atrophied and altered. This is why his right arm does not have the same strength as his left." The surgeon concluded that the arm is very limited in strength, especially in the biceps, estimating it at roughly half of its full capacity.
