Marc Marquez "not enjoying" riding, but nerve recovery delivers unusual post-Sprint sign

Marc Marquez delivered the most positive moment of Mugello by crossing the Sprint finish in fifth place, the first time he has completed a MotoGP race since Jerez after shoulder surgery to relieve a compressed radial nerve. He qualified fourth as the leading Ducati rider and briefly led at Turn 1, snatching the holeshot from the Aprilias. The nerve problem appears resolved, but he says he cannot sustain full speed for a race distance. In FP2 he tried four to five consecutive fast laps and found the energy drop means riding at 100 percent over 23 laps is unsustainable. Marquez said the approach remains cautious as he targets Brno, and he celebrated a rare post-race sign by being able to write notes by hand for the first time this year, indicating progressing nerve recovery. His team-mate Bagnaia finished seventh, underscoring that full fitness is a work in progress and the priority is control and consistency over raw speed.