Overview
- Álex Márquez has pulled out of the Qatar MotoGP to undergo surgery in Madrid to remove the metal plate in his right collarbone and address ongoing shoulder inflammation and bursitis.
- The decision follows months of racing with injections and painkillers after a high‑impact crash at the Catalan Grand Prix left him with a fractured collarbone that required an earlier plate surgery.
- Team and rider reports say pain management has become insufficient during the recent Asian rounds, prompting Márquez to bring forward an operation that had been planned for season end.
- Dr Samuel Antuna is reported as the surgeon scheduled to perform the procedure, which the rider says aims to remove fluid from the shoulder and restore muscle function.
- Márquez has stated his targets are to recover for the closing rounds at Portimão and Valencia and to attend the Valencia test to prepare for his planned KTM debut next season, but his immediate absence from Qatar shortens his recovery window.