Bengaluru, November 10: MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez has confirmed he will not return to race this year having been out of action since July with a broken arm.
Marquez's hopes of a fifth straight title were all but ended by the injury suffered in the 2020 FIM MotoGP World Championship season opener at Jerez.
The Repsol Honda superstar fell off his bike while in the lead at the Spanish Grand Prix, retiring from the race, and then failed to start as he attempted a remarkable return at the next event.
Marquez posts thank you message amid reports he will miss three rounds
Marquez, who had never previously missed a MotoGP race in his career, has undergone two operations on his arm.
Stefan Bradl has since stood in for Marquez and is now in line to do so for the rest of the 2020 season, which has two grands prix remaining, with a return in the next campaign targeted by the Spaniard.
"This season I will not compete again," Marquez wrote on Twitter after Honda confirmed a decision had officially been made.
This season I will not compete again. After evaluating how the arm is doing with the Doctors and my team, we have decided that the best option is to return next year. It's time to continue with the recovery. Thanks for the messages of support. Looking forward to returning in 2021 pic.twitter.com/WlQI3BntTN
— Marc Márquez (@marcmarquez93) November 10, 2020
"After evaluating how the arm is doing with the doctors and my team, we have decided that the best option is to return next year.
"It's time to continue with the recovery. Thanks for the messages of support. Looking forward to returning in 2021."
Bradl is 20th in the standings this year, while Alex Marquez - Marc's brother - is 14th but had finished second at back-to-back races prior to his most recent two retirements.
(With inputs from Omnisport/Repsol Honda Media)