Luca Marini was preparing to return with Honda at the Malaysian Grand Prix after a viral illness forced him to withdraw from the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island. The Italian rider described symptoms far more severe than an ordinary bout of illness, saying his loss of muscle strength made moving his limbs difficult.

Marini said he struggled to move his hands, fingers and feet, and likened the sensation to arthritis. Even typing messages on his phone had become difficult. He did not know which virus had caused the illness and was waiting for the results of tests carried out at Sepang.

Despite the severity of the symptoms, the Honda rider said the initial test parameters appeared normal and that he was already feeling much better ahead of the race weekend. Honda was therefore expected to have both of its factory riders back in Malaysia.

Mir prepares to return

Joan Mir had been absent since after the San Marino Grand Prix because of a medical issue, missing the previous four rounds. Speaking at Sepang, he said the vision problems he experienced were linked to extreme fatigue, but did not provide further detail about how they developed. Mir also acknowledged that this season had been more difficult than he expected.

The return of Marini and Mir was expected to restore Honda’s full factory line-up at a circuit where the manufacturer had a strong showing the previous year. Mir finished third at Sepang on that occasion, securing the second podium of his career.