Alex Marquez will sit out the next two MotoGP rounds at Mugello and Balatonring as he continues to recover from the injuries he sustained in last weekend's Catalan Grand Prix. On Thursday, Gresini Racing posted a picture of Marquez wearing a neck brace and arm sling, accompanied by two team members, confirming that he will miss the upcoming Italian and Hungarian grands prix. This means Marquez will remain out of action until at least the Czech GP on 21 June, but no timeline for his full recovery was given.

No Substitute Announced

Gresini Racing has not yet announced a substitute for Marquez, but they are required by regulations to field a replacement rider. When Fermin Aldeguer had to miss the Thailand season opener due to a training accident, Ducati’s test rider Michele Pirro was brought in as a stand-in. Marquez returned to his home in Madrid on Tuesday after undergoing surgery on his right collarbone, which he broke after hitting the faulty KTM of Pedro Acosta at Barcelona. Scans also revealed a minor fracture of the C7 vertebra, but no immediate operation was performed.

Brother Marc Marquez Also Injured

The 30-year-old Spaniard remains at home with his brother, Marc Marquez, who suffered a foot injury a week before in a highside at the French Grand Prix. The nine-time world champion got surgery on his broken foot and battered right shoulder and missed the Catalan GP as a result. Ducati has yet to announce whether Alex Marquez will be fit to take part in the team’s home race in Mugello on 31 May. Meanwhile, Johann Zarco, who was also injured in Barcelona, could also miss multiple rounds, with his Honda team revealing on Wednesday that he will have to wait several weeks before undergoing surgery on his knee.