The world was watching when Ana Carrasco (Kawasaki Provec WorldSSP300) crossed the line in first position at Misano – and amongst them all was a certain eight-time World Champion.

The Murcian rider’s win in Race 2 of the Pirelli Made in Italy Emilia-Romagna Round came just nine months after suffering a potentially career-threatening injury during testing at Estoril. After several months of rehabilitation and just four races into the new season, Carrasco is already once again a race winner.

Marc Márquez (Repsol Honda Team), speaking from the Sachsenring ahead of this weekend’s Liqui Moly German Grand Prix, his first race at the German track since making his own comeback from injury, was asked about her return to winning ways at Misano.

“I was really pleased for her”, he admitted, “I know the team really well, the people who are around her are the same people who gave me my first opportunity to become a rider. “I was really happy, and it was great to see after such a long recovery from injury, it’s like having some extra fuel in you. It’s true that she’s been training well for some time, I talk with her Team Manager every once in a while. She did a good pre-season and was well prepared.

“But the truth is that, after such a serious injury, it’s always nice to see. When I saw her win I thought, “she deserves it”, and I’m sure she’ll continue like this. If she’s started the year like this, she’ll stay on top.”

The eight-time World Champion is still recovering from the arm injury he suffered at Jerez in July 2020 and seeking a first comeback win of his own. Might he find some inspiration from Carrasco’s Misano heroics?

“I’d like to have a comeback like Ana’s, but the truth is that my situation is different because I don’t feel like I’m at 100% yet, I arrived here without a pre-season. It’s different… Of course I’d love to do something like that before the end of the year, but I need to get my feeling back, step by step, and see if we can get it done.”

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