That wild contrast in results tells the entire story of a brutal campaign, as Motorsport.com Italia reports. Between the season opener in Thailand and Montmeló—a round he missed entirely due to yet another surgery on his right shoulder—the Ducati rider collected 57 points. Once he returned from the operating room, everything shifted. In the seven races since his comeback, he has racked up 217 points, including four doubles and five victories. That is pure, undeniable resilience from a master of this sport.
Here is the thing, though: getting there was absolute agony. Earlier in the year, the numbers didn't lie about his misery. "I am suffering, I am not having fun," Marquez admitted during a time when a radial nerve issue kept robbing his right arm of strength out on the track. Once doctors identified and fixed the physical problem, the number 93 rider had to figure out how to adapt his riding style to compensate for the lingering lack of power, all while drowning out the endless noise about his physical condition.
In the last Grands Prix it seems that, between the Ducati and the team, we have taken a step forward, but there is still a long way to go and many things can happen.
He famously shut down the doubters with a shirtless photo after his triple header at Aragon, and last week's double at Misano proved the formula is working wonders. Now, arriving at the Red Bull Ring where he previously won, the vibe is entirely different. "I am starting to have fun, and that is important. I have suffered, it took me time to adapt, and I know there will be races where I will suffer," Marquez told the press this Thursday at Spielberg.
Spielberg is a circuit that naturally plays to the strengths of the Desmosedici GP machine, a beast where the Catalan has triumphed five times before. But past glory at the venue doesn't change the immediate pressure. This Friday marks the first time this year he hits the track carrying the championship lead, even if he sits tied on points with Jorge Martin at the top of the standings.
"It's a new position, but deep down it's always the same. Being in this situation doesn't change anything compared to when I was slightly behind in the standings," Marquez noted, keeping his feet firmly planted on the ground. "In the last Grands Prix it seems that, between the Ducati and the team, we have taken a step forward, but there is still a long way to go and many things can happen."
