Ducati is standing firmly behind Marc Marquez, confident that their star rider will return stronger than ever after undergoing double surgery that sidelines him for this weekend's Catalan Grand Prix.

The reigning MotoGP champion entered the 2024 season as a top title contender, but the opening rounds told a different story. Through the first several races, Marquez failed to secure a single podium finish on Sunday—a surprising start for a rider of his caliber.

That all changed after a frightening crash during last weekend's sprint race at Le Mans, where Marquez broke his foot. In the aftermath, the 33-year-old finally admitted what many had suspected: he had been racing with a lingering shoulder injury sustained at last year's Indonesian Grand Prix. His own words painted a stark picture: "I'm racing with one and a half arms."

Despite that physical limitation, Marquez still managed to deliver two sprint race wins and a pole position this season—even breaking the lap record at Le Mans while nursing his shoulder. Now, after undergoing surgery on both his foot and shoulder (the shoulder operation had been planned but never publicly disclosed), Marquez will sit out the Barcelona round to complete his recovery.

Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi spoke with Marquez on Thursday and came away optimistic. "Marc is very happy, because all these operations have lifted a weight off his shoulders—a problem that, right from the start of the season, was clearly holding him back," Tardozzi told Spanish broadcaster DAZN.

"Right now, the most important thing is for Marc to recover and get back on the bike in good shape. However long it takes, we'll see. We're waiting for him. When he returns, I think he'll still give us plenty of reasons to celebrate."

Tardozzi didn't hold back his admiration for what Marquez accomplished while compromised. "Marquez has shown once again that he's a superhero, knowing what was going on and what the doctor told us. He's a superb rider. He did something incredible, because given the situation his body was in, no other rider could have done what he did."

For this weekend's Barcelona race, the factory Ducati squad will be down to just one rider, with two-time MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia carrying the team's hopes alone. But if Marquez's past is any guide, Ducati fans have every reason to believe that once he's fully healthy, the celebrations will follow.