Jorge Martin has been at the centre of a media storm in recent weeks. It’s easy to forget that the MotoGP world champion has only competed in one race this year.
Martin always looked unlikely to defend his title after leaving the dominant Ducati stable for a factory Aprilia ride. But he will surrender the trophy with a whimper after a succession of injuries.
The Spaniard made his debut at the fourth race of the season in Qatar after a supermoto crash just before the opener in Thailand. But his year took another disastrous turn when Fabio di Giannantonio hit him as he fell from the bike.
Martin was left with 11 fractured ribs and a punctured lung following the incident. Following his release from hospital, he informed Aprilia that he intended to activate an exit clause in his contract.
The Spaniard has subsequently confirmed in a statement that he plans to leave. There was even talk that Martin may never ride for Aprilia again due to the severity of his injuries and the state of the relationship.
Jorge Martin wanted to return at the German GP – that now looks highly unlikely
Martin underwent check-ups in Barcelona and Madrid on Monday. MotoGP doctors Angel Charte and Xavier Mir carried out examinations on not only his chest, but also his wrist after a scaphoid fracture in February.
In a statement, Aprilia called their findings ‘quite positive’. Mir and Charte are ‘satisfied’ that he’s recovering at the expected speed.
| RACE | DATES |
| Grand Prix of Aragon | 6-8 June |
| Grand Prix of Italy | 20-22 June |
| Dutch TT | 27-29 June |
| Grand Prix of Germany | 11-13 July |
| Grand Prix of Czechia | 18-20 July |
Martin hoped to return at the Grand Prix of Germany, scheduled for 11-13 July. However, Motorsport Espana report that this now looks ‘very difficult’.
MotoGP heads to Brno a week later for the final race before the summer break. It’s possible that Martin won’t return until the Austrian GP in mid-August.
Where Honda stand on Jorge Martin’s MotoGP injuries amid strong links with Aprilia rider
Martin made his first public appearance since the rider market bombshell at the Aprilia All-Stars event last weekend. Following Marco Bezzecchi’s shock win at Silverstone, the atmosphere appeared to be positive.
In a surprise turn of events, Martin tested an Aprilia road bike at the Misano circuit. This sparked hopes that he’d return earlier than expected.
But caution remains. A potential eight-race absence highlights just how serious the injuries are.
Honda want to check on Martin’s condition before proceeding with a move. He’s been strongly linked with the factory seat currently occupied by the out-of-contract Luca Marini.
