Alex Marquez is set to leave hospital on Monday afternoon after undergoing successful surgery to repair a fractured clavicle, following his dramatic crash at the MotoGP race in Barcelona on Sunday. The 30-year-old Spanish rider, brother of seven-time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez, was launched into the air as his bike flipped over on the gravel, cartwheeling through the air after losing control when he slammed into the back of Pedro Acosta's KTM, which had suddenly lost power.
Injuries and Surgery
Marquez was rushed to hospital, where scans revealed a marginal fracture on a vertebra near his neck, in addition to the fractured right collarbone. On Monday morning, his Gresini Racing team provided a reassuring update. A statement read: 'Alex Marquez successfully underwent surgery last night for a fracture of his right clavicle, which was stabilised with the insertion of a plate, by Anna Carreras, David Benito, and Paula Barragán at Hospital General de Catalunya. He will leave the hospital later this afternoon.'
Marquez's Response
On Sunday night, Marquez himself smiled from his hospital bed as he posted on Instagram: 'Everything's under control. I'm due to go into the operating theatre tonight, but I couldn't be in better hands. Thank you all so much for your concern and for the kind messages I've been receiving.'
Other Incidents at the Catalan Grand Prix
The Spaniard's crash was one of two frightening incidents at the Catalan Grand Prix, which was red-flagged twice. At the first restart, French rider Johann Zarco suffered a broken fibula after a three-rider pile-up on turn one of the first lap. He said on Instagram: 'Don't worry, we're still waiting for the test results. I've got a neck brace on, but it's more of a nuisance than anything else. It's mainly the knee, the ligaments have snapped. But the femur isn't broken. There's a small fracture at the bottom of the fibula, on the outside of my left ankle. So there you go, I'll keep you posted. Just to put your minds at rest, really. More of a scare than anything... I'm staying in hospital tonight because they want to keep an eye on me.'
Riders' Concerns
Many riders were unimpressed that the race restarted after two serious incidents. The 2024 MotoGP champion Jorge Martin said: 'Three restarts are very dangerous. It was not necessary to make a third restart today.'
