Marco Bezzecchi
Jorge Martin suffered two crashes on day one of MotoGP testing as he started his term with Aprilia Racing in challenging style.
The reigning champion found himself on the ground on separate occasions and has been ruled out of the rest of the test after sustaining an injury.
A move to Pramac in the off-season has posed plenty of challenges, as Martin moves away from a Ducati bike which won 90% of the races on offer last season.
After Marc Marquez beat him to a factory Ducati ride, he signed with Aprilia where he will don the number one on his machine this season.
Martin once considered MotoGP retirement after fears that he would never win again, before beating Francesco Bagnaia to the riders’ championship by 10 points last season.
The Spaniard found himself last on the timesheets after day one of the official Sepang test, over three seconds behind leader Alex Marquez.
Jorge Martin taken to hospital after ‘great pain’ following Sepang crash
After winning three races last season, the reigning MotoGP champion faces a tough challenge to retain his crown against Bangaia and Marquez in 2025.
It appears that he is already struggling to adapt to his new bike, after an incident at turn one left him on the ground – the first rider of the day to achieve the feat.
He was able to continue though, before suffering an almighty highside which left him on the floor for a few seconds and making ‘gestures of great pain’ according to Marca.
The 27-year-old was taken to hospital for assessment to be assessed after reporting pain to his left foot and right hand.
With Martin being ruled out for the rest of the test, it’s likely that test rider Lorenzo Savadori could be called up to the team to take over his duties.
Jorge Martin already has something he ‘never had’ at Ducati on his Aprilia bike
Aprilia’s highest-finishing bike came seventh courtesy of Maverick Vinales, who claimed one victory at the Circuit of the Americas in 2024.
They’ll have higher hopes this season with the reigning champion in their ranks – a man who has been consistently at the front of the field for a few seasons.
READ MORE: What Jorge Martin’s manager privately said about Aprilia move at MotoGP launch
Martin has already noticed something on Aprilia’s bike he never had at Ducati and has been impressed by the feedback from the front end of his bike.
Despite having the number one on his bike being a proud moment, Martin may have been paid extra by Aprilia to run the number one, considering how good it would be for their marketing.
With just over three weeks to go before the season-opener at the Thailand Grand Prix, he will be hoping to get back on the bike soon and learn as much as he can before the competition ramps up.
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