Marquez, Crutchlow undergo surgery - radial nerve 'untouched'
"Unfortunately, it was our turn and it was Marc who has had to undergo surgery. Marc will take some time to recover but we are happy with how everything has gone.
"Doctor Mir and his team have taken care of the entire situation since the fall and performed a successful operation.
"This gives the Repsol Honda Team a lot of motivation, knowing it went well, but now we have to be patient to see how Marc recovers and to understand when he can return.”
Marquez's accident brought a brutal end to what had been a thrilling comeback.
The Spaniard was forced to make a huge save while leading on lap 5 of 25, but ran off-track in the process, losing almost ten-seconds and re-joining in 19th place.
He then charged through the field to a podium position and looked on the brink of taking second from Maverick Vinales, the rider he had predicted to be his closest title rival on Thursday.
Instead, Marquez will surrender at least 50 potential points, with Puig adding "this weekend we will be focused on [team-mate and younger brother] Alex" - thus confirming that Marc is out of the second Jerez round.
Marquez, who has undergone major shoulder surgery for the past two winters, must now focus on a return to action for round three, in the Czech Republic on August 7-9, at the earliest.
But with only a short 13-race season so far confirmed, and barely any weekends off, Marquez clearly faces an uphill battle to claim a seventh MotoGP title this year. The #93 has only suffered one championship defeat, in 2015, since joining the premier-class.
@marcmarquez93 will undergo surgery after this horrendous crash at Jerez!
— MotoGP (@MotoGP) July 19, 2020
We wish the world champion the very best in his recovery! #SpanishGP pic.twitter.com/BOSmDo7dfG
Fellow Honda rider Cal Crutchlow also had an operation in Barcelona today, after fracturing the scaphoid bone in his left wrist during a warm-up fall. The Englishman was due to have 'arthroscopy surgery to insert a small fixing pin'.
“Cal Crutchlow also had an operation that went well and in principle, his intention is to test the wrist on Friday. We are optimistic about his participation in the Grand Prix," Puig said.
Suzuki's Alex Rins joined Crutchlow in missing the season-opening race, after dislocating his shoulder in qualifying. Rins has remained at Jerez in the hope of being able to ride this weekend, but will also need to pass a Medical Check.
Meanwhile, Alex Marquez is now hoping to build on a twelfth place finish during his premier-class debut last Sunday.
“First, I’d like to again wish Marc, Cal and Alex Rins a speedy recovery," Alex said. "From my side as a rider, the situation does not change too much as I have my job, my objectives and I will always push to the maximum to achieve them.
"Going racing at the same circuit will be interesting, times will be very fast as most people have a good base setting but I am confident for the weekend, I learned a lot in my first GP and now I can apply it directly on the track again.”
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
