Marc Marquez to miss Argentina MotoGP after successful surgery

Marquez sustained the injury during the incident at the 2023 season-opening Portuguese MotoGP, when he clattered into the back of Miguel Oliveira and ended both of their races.

The six-time MotoGP champion was handed a double long lap penalty, to be served in Argentina, as punishment for causing the crash. But he will now miss the weekend altogether due to the injury he emerged with.

• Aleix Espargaro on Marc Marquez’s crash: “They have to ban him for one race"
• Miguel Oliveira: ‘Sad, a shame, Marc braked too late’

Marquez was "diagnosed with a displaced intrarticular fracture of the base of the first metacarpal of the thumb of the right hand", Repsol Honda said.

He underwent surgery upon arriving home in Barcelona. Surgery "consisted of a closed reduction of the fracture and internal fixation of the same with two screws and passed without incident".

To miss an entire weekend - both the Saturday sprint race and Sunday's full-length race - is an early blow for Marquez's championship hopes, not least because reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia has emerged from the first weekend with maximum points after two wins.

But there will also be concern over Marquez's injury history. Although this latest thumb issue is nothing major, and certainly not comparable to his previous arm and eye problems, it is another physical toll he has been forced to pay.

Marquez took responsibility for the accident at Portimao, apologising to Oliveira and the fans, and accepted the double long lap penalty. He is now not expected to serve any penalty, because he will miss Argentina.

Marquez is the third rider to be ruled out of the second round of the season due to injury. Pol Espargaro has jaw and lung issues after his crash on Friday, while Enea Bastianini has a broken shoulder blade after he was knocked off his bike in Saturday’s sprint race by Luca Marini.