Seven-time champion ruled OUT of next two grands prix

Ducati Lenovo rider Marc Marquez has been ruled out of the next two grands prix in MotoGP.

Marquez is a seven-time world champion of the series, having wrapped up his seventh title this year in Japan with five rounds to spare.

However, at the Indonesian Grand Prix last time out, the Spaniard was ruled out of the race on lap one after a collision with Marco Bezzecchi which forced him to retire from the race.

The crash left both drivers in the gravel, with Marquez seen walking away clutching his arm, and later took to Instagram to show his arm in a sling.

Bezzecchi had dropped from pole position down to seventh place behind Marquez at the start of the race and, as the Italian tried to overtake the Spaniard, he instead went into the back of him.

A medical assessment in the week following the crash found that Marquez had suffered a coracoid fracture and ligament damage.

It was confirmed earlier this week that Marquez needed to have surgery on his right shoulder blade, and that the surgery had been successful at the Ruber Internacional Hospital in Madrid, with Marquez sent home to begin his recovery.

That led to confirmation that Marquez would miss this weekend's Australian GP, with test rider Michele Pirro taking his spot on the Ducati, but now it has also been confirmed that Marquez will miss the Malaysian GP too, which takes place at the end of this month.

Marquez's shoulder will not be healed by then, but whether or not Pirro will also be the rider to take his spot for that particular race has not yet been revealed.

Marquez's exceptional season

While the inability to claim more race wins over the next couple of races will likely frustrate serial winner Marquez, it's not going to make any difference in the grand scheme of things.

The Spaniard has enjoyed a dominant season, claiming 11 of the 18 race victories so far, and being almost 200 points clear in the standings of his brother and rival Alex Marquez.

Ducati have also already wrapped up the constructors' championship too, having won all but two races this season in a dominant year.

Marquez has kept his fans updated with his condition via a post on Instagram, and wrote: "Surgery done, everything went well. Thanks for all your messages and support! Recovery mode on!"

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