Image: Supplied.

Respol Honda Team’s Marc Marquez will return to competition at round 15 of the 2022 MotoGP World Championship, commencing this Friday at Aragon.

Marquez, 29, was sidelined again when he opted to undergo a fourth surgery on his right humorous following the Italian GP earlier this year, initially injured back at Jerez, 2020.

He rode a MotoGP machine for the first time since the latest surgery at the Misano test and has now confirmed the decision to make a racing return as he looks to build towards challenging for a ninth world title next year.

“Well, what can I say?” Marquez stated. “I am very excited to return to MotoGP this weekend, especially at such a special track for me like Aragon. The objective this weekend is not to go out and fight straight away, it is to build up everything and prepare well for the future. Build myself, the bike, everything.

“Misano was good but the race weekend will be different, there’s more intensity and less time to rest so it will be a different kind of challenge. I have been doing a lot of recovery work and continuing in the gym as well as riding a bike again before this weekend. I am very happy to be back!”

Former MotoGP champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) will also return at Aragon after injuring his right ankle during a sizeable crash in Austria.