Marc Marquez has decided to sit out both 2021 MotoGP season openers at the Losail International Circuit this coming March 28 and April 4.

The Repsol Honda rider confirmed the decision a week after getting the green light from doctors to intensify his training.

“After the last review with the medical team, the doctors have advised me that the most prudent thing was not to take part in the Qatar Grand Prix and to continue with the recovery plan that we have followed in recent weeks.

“I would have loved to be able to participate in the opening race of the World Championship, but we will have to continue working to be able to recover the optimal conditions that allow us to return to competition,” he said.

The six-time MotoGP champion also announced that he would again miss Qatar’s second round via social media.

With the first race is just a few days away, Marquez decision to opt-out of the first two races is inevitable, considering that the previous decision to rush him into the race was the reason behind his lengthy time-out.

Last week, he spent two track days in Barcelona and Portimao on-board the RC213V-S.

Four brazen thieves managed to stole four Harley-Davidson motorcycles last week from a dealership in Indiana, United States.

The whole incident was recorded on the shop CCTV and showed four thieves, wearing concealable clothes and helmets before riding off with three units of 2021 Street Glide Special and one unit of 2020 Street Glide Special.

The surveillance footage also revealed that the stolen motorcycle was ridden right out of the dealership front door.

Watch the CCTV footage of the incident below:

Despite finishing the 2020 season as a runner-up, Franco Morbidelli will once again jump on his older ‘A-spec’ YZR-M1 for 2021.

The Italian race the entire 2020 season with a slightly modified 2019 M1 but came out as the top Yamaha rider with 158 points, just 13 points behind champion Joan Mir.

The former VR46 Academy rider was ahead of Maverick Vinales (132pts), followed by Fabio Quartararo (127pts) and Valentino Rossi (66pts).

Nonetheless, the 26-year-old rider admitted it came as a surprise when Yamaha brought upgrades to the bike for Qatar pre-season testing.

The upgrades is expected to solve some of the issues that surfaced last year.

“Well, yes, because they were pretty simple, pretty substantial and in pretty easy directions.

“So, I think the updates that Yamaha brought will also work in the other tracks.

“This is what I think and what I hope at the same time,” he said to Autosport.

Morbidelli ended the pre-season testing in Qatar fourth overall with just 0.140 seconds behind Vinales and Quartararo.

The 2021 MotoGP will kickstart on March 28 in Qatar.