The nine-time world champion from Spain shares some behind-the-scenes details of his recovery: “If I do activities like playing padel or throwing rocks into the river for three days, my right side hurts.” And he revisits his rivalry with Valentino
For Marc Marquez, it’s time for “Throttle Therapy.” On social media, the Ducati rider used this ironic term to announce the resumption of motorcycle training following the serious right shoulder injury he suffered during the Indonesian Grand Prix. The Spaniard is stepping up his preparations ahead of the 2026 MotoGP World Championship. However, his recent injuries have taken their toll. Marquez spoke about this during an interview with La Sexta. And he didn’t miss the chance to make another reference to his never-ending feud with Valentino Rossi.
His return to the bike marks an important step forward, but not the end of Marc’s suffering: “I’ve always been someone who lives with pain. But if I sleep on my right side, I know it’ll hurt. Also, if I do activities like playing padel or throwing rocks into the river for three days, I know I’ll feel pain. I have a high pain tolerance. This has been helpful on several occasions, but in other circumstances it has definitely hurt me. Sometimes I thought an injury wasn’t that serious after all.” Marquez then added: “Every injury goes through three phases. In the first, you feel devastated; no one can offer comfort: this year, even though I won the title, I spent three weeks at home in isolation. The pain makes you angry, and you take it out on your loved ones. Then comes the second stage: everyone tries to hold me back. The final stage is about patience: I’d like to get on the bike, even though I can’t.” Marc admitted he’s learned a few lessons: “Crashes teach you your limits and make you respect the risks involved. It’s a taboo subject, but once you’re home, you realize the extent of the damage.”
Marquez and Valentino— Despite his recent injury, in 2025 Marquez tied Rossi’s record of nine world titles. His relationship with the Italian has been nonexistent for 10 years. The Spaniard sidestepped the topic: “Living with resentment is very difficult. I don’t want my fans to hold a grudge. I’d rather they save their energy to cheer for me. During my injury, it was another rider who got in my way. He made a mistake, but no one does it on purpose: we’re always pushing the limits, but sometimes people don’t understand that.” A reference to the request he made to his fans after the collision with Marco Bezzecchi in Indonesia.
future— Finally, the nine-time world champion reflected on his next steps, including retirement: “The hardest thing for an athlete is figuring out when and how to stop. I know I’ll retire because my body will force me to.” Being a motorcycle racer is a job that’s as special as it is risky. Marc admitted: “Hypothetically, I wouldn’t want to see my son take up this sport. I’m very protective; my last name wouldn’t help him. People would say he got that far because of his family. Better to play soccer, tennis, or anything else.”
