Marc Marquez says coming back from injury “more important” than equalling Valentino Rossi’s tally of titles

Marquez emerged through c💛areer-threatening arm surgery last summer and, after months of rehab and signs of promise when he first returned to the track, 2023 has delivered little more than a hand injury, missed rounds and crashes.
Si♛x-time premier class champion Marquez, now aged 30 and with the physical toll adding up, is trying to match his old enemy Rossi’s tally of seven titles, and Giacomo Agostini’s eight.
“Of course the more wor꧅ld championships you win the better,𝓡” Marquez told .
“I have six and theiꦉr seven and e🦹ight is better.
“But my biggest goal💜 is to make this comeback from a big injur🐈y.
“Not many athletes can do this. I’m still in the process but I feel clos🏅er and closer.
“If I can make a successful comeback it will be ꧋even more important than another one or two world championships.”
Marquez has failed to finish the🗹 last four grands prix he has entered, ☂while missing three in between due to injury.
He ended the Italian MotoGP last weekend by bemoaning his Honda as he stꩵood frustrated in the gravel.

Jorge Lorenzo claims that Marqueꦇz is the only rider who isn’t scared of crashing.
“I may be,” Marquez said.
“He said it – and I also🔯 feel I’m never scared.
“Maybe sometimes I’m taking𒈔 too much risk but I cannot ride a bike worrying about the crashing.
“It is the only way I know to ride a bike fast.
“I will say I have 20 [crashes] a year. Maybe 250 cr💦ashes [in total]꧟?”
The injuries, the under-performing bike and the barren spell while🎀 a new era of champions have won their first titles have chꩲanged Marquez’s mentality.
“I can understand that achievement in fin⭕ishing second,” he said.
“So when I have good news now 🅷I will celebrate even more than before.
“Winningꩲ used to be normal. B𒁏ut now it’s not like this.
“So after some very difficult years it’s important to celebrate the g❀ood achievements because you never k🌃now if you will get injured again tomorrow or next month.”

James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade coverin🦄g everything from American sports, to footba🉐ll, to F1.