Motorcycle legend Mick Doohan says injured world champion Marc Marquez is a victim of his greatest strength.
Marquez has had surgery to insert a titanium plate into his broken right humerus after a crash in the season opening Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez on Sunday.
“He’s a racer and he wins because; number one, he’s so talented but number two, he does push it to the limit every single time and single every lap he’s out there but that’s what we all love watching him for and that’s what he’s respected for,” Doohan said.
The 27-year-old crashed while in the midst of a remarkable recovery ride, having climbed to third place after an earlier mistake left him at the rear of the field.
“In hindsight I’m sure he’s thinking perhaps I should’ve stayed in third … but that’s not in his nature, it’s not in his DNA to sit around and take second best, he felt he could win,” Doohan said.
Marquez has been cleared of damage to his radial nerve but is expected to miss at least this weekend’s second race of the season, the Andalusia Grand Prix, also at Jerez.
The condensed MotoGP calendar has races scheduled for 12 of the next 17 weekends but Doohan believes Marquez can still win the world title given he has previously wrapped up the Championship with races in hand.
“You never say it’s impossible with Marc because the guy honestly has a different mindset … he’s prepared to do what others aren’t,” Doohan said.
“He’s 100 per cent got a chance … if he can miss these next two, or even if he only misses this weekend, he’ll still score points even with one arm because he is that good … that’ll motivate him to just keep getting stronger.”
If he does defend his title, Marquez will equal Doohan and Valentino Rossi with five consecutive titles, only Italian legend Giacomo Agostini has more with his run of seven from 1966 to 1972.
The Australian has sent a message of support to Marquez and is planning to speak with him later this week.
There are very few people better placed to sympathise with Marquez than Doohan.
