Álex Márquez Undergoes Surgery Ahead of German Grand Prix

Álex Márquez was in a fierce battle for fourth place with Pedro Acosta during the sixth lap of the Dutch Grand Prix. The previous lap saw the Murcian rider overtake the Catalan decisively yet cleanly, and Márquez was eager to reclaim his position to stay in touch with the leading pack, led by his brother Marc, ahead of Bagnaia and Bezzecchi.

Álex attempted an almost impossible move at the exit of turn 4, but Acosta blocked his path, both riders running side by side, nearly leaning on each other until the inevitable happened at the start of turn 5. Some part of Pedro's bike (or perhaps the rider himself, as it's unclear from the footage) inadvertently touched the front brake lever of Márquez's Ducati, causing the tyre to lock and sending the younger Márquez crashing violently to the ground.

The incident, which was investigated but deemed non-punishable by Race Direction, marked the second zero for the rider who had been the most consistent until then. However, beyond the points, the worst outcome was the injury sustained by the championship's second-placed rider. Initial medical examinations at the circuit's clinic indicated a volar fracture in the head of the second metacarpal of the left hand, specifically the index finger, which was immediately immobilised. Márquez left the Assen circuit with his arm in a sling, heading to Spain with the intention of undergoing surgery that very night.

Upon arriving in Madrid, Álex Márquez headed to Hospital Ruber Internacional for surgery, which took place on Sunday night. At around 12:30 am on Monday, the Gresini Racing team announced on social media that the operation on his left hand had been "successfully completed" and that further updates on his recovery would be provided in the coming days.

The goal for the Cervera rider is to compete in the upcoming German Grand Prix, held in two weeks at the Sachsenring circuit. The tight German track is not ideal for a physically compromised rider, as it is one of the most demanding in the championship, but this injury should not rule him out from being on the grid. In fact, during pre-season, Aprilia rider Raúl Fernández suffered a similar injury to the fifth metacarpal of the same hand and returned to racing after just seven days.

Álex Márquez remains in second place in the championship standings, but his zero at Assen, combined with Marc Márquez's victory last Sunday, has widened the gap to 68 points, although he still holds a comfortable cushion of 58 points over third-placed Pecco Bagnaia.

His brother Marc, who learned of Álex's injury just before stepping onto the podium, couldn't hide the bittersweet feeling of the Sunday: "I'm very happy, but not completely, and I should be; but family is family and, among the world championship rivals, he's the main one, the closest, and I want them all on track; especially if it's my brother, but it's the risk we riders take and it's also the essence of motorcycling, knowing how to manage those limits."