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Former MotoGP rival Andrea Dovizioso believes Marc Marquez’s physical condition is ‘more serious than it seems’. The factory Ducati rider suffered a complex shoulder injury in October 2024 at the Indonesian Grand Prix, leaving him out for the rest of the season. Marquez admitted during the United States Grand Prix that he is not yet fully recovered, stating, ‘The bike is critical, but so am I’. Despite this, he has not yet secured a podium in 2026, though he has a sprint win and a further sprint podium from the first three rounds. Ducati appears to be trailing behind Aprilia, which has won all three Grands Prix so far. In an interview with Moto.it, Dovizioso expressed his concern that Marquez’s struggles are not widely recognized. ‘Marc is not a rider who complains and has never made excuses,’ he said. ‘So, the truth about how he’s doing and how many problems he has, especially for those who don’t support him, has never been valued much.’ Dovizioso believes Marquez’s situation is far worse than it appears. ‘Last year, he managed to win the championship. I couldn’t tell you what percentage, but he certainly wasn’t at 100%. He still has a lot of physical improvements to do. The fall in Indonesia has further increased this limitation in his right arm, which I believe has no solution.’ The injury in Indonesia did not worsen the pre-existing right humerus injury Marquez suffered in 2020. He is now on an extended break to focus on his shoulder recovery ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix, with Qatar’s race postponed due to the war in Iran. Dovizioso, who continues as a Yamaha test rider this year, was a three-time MotoGP runner-up to Marquez between 2017 and 2019.