Marco Bezzecchi
Jorge Martin has returned to the MotoGP paddock for the first time since his accident in pre-season testing. The defending champion has been ruled out injured for the start of 2025.
The Spaniard is watching from the Aprilia garage at the Grand Prix of the Americas this weekend. Martin’s appearance was supposed to be a surprise, but those plans were foiled as it was leaked by the media.
Being in Austin will help Martin understand how Aprilia operates ahead of his return to racing. The 27-year-old has missed the first two races – soon to be three – with fractures to his hands and feet.
The defending champion had a violent highside in Sepang. After undergoing surgery, he crashed again during his recovery and broke the scaphoid in his left hand.
Martin’s injuries are ‘troublesome’ as the scaphoid can take a long time to heal with the limited blood circulation. His time on the sidelines has all but destroyed his title chances.
Furthermore, when he returns for the Qatar Grand Prix – or so he hopes – he will have little to no knowledge of the RS-GP25. Aprilia had been pushing to get Martin a private test before his return, but it appears that has been unsuccessful.
Jorge Martin says he will not ride a bike before his return to MotoGP
The Scorze-based team needed approval from the other manufacturers to change the rules and give Martin an outing before his return. Under the concession system, Aprilia can only use their test riders in private sessions.
Jack Miller opposed Aprilia’s campaign, stating that ‘rules are rules’ and they cannot be changed mid-season. This immediately puts the Spaniard on the back foot and speaking with TNT Sports on The Inside Line, Martin stated he will not be riding before he returns to MotoGP, creating a ‘big challenge’.
“Well I don’t know what’s going to happen, but for sure the important thing is that this [is a] positive thing for the future. It seems like everybody’s agreed to keep it and do it maybe for next season,” he said.
“So this is a great opportunity for the safety of the sport. And from my side, I won’t ride any bike until I go back on the MotoGP.
“So, [it] will be a big challenge to come back and come up with an new bike without those kilometres, so it will be really, really tough at the beginning of ‘my season’ let’s say.
“But yeah, I’m ready for it and I hope to come back soon.”
Jorge Martin sees Marco Bezzecchi as his best reference for MotoGP return – here’s why
Aprilia’s failed proposal to get Martin on a bike before his return has a silver lining, as it seems the rules will be changed for 2026. This is great news for teams who suffered setbacks with their riders – Raul Fernandez and Fabio Di Giannantonio also had their pre-season compromised through injury.
The biggest question everyone will be asking is if Martin can be competitive when he returns. The injuries he sustained will likely affect him throughout the season.
Aprilia cannot afford to have the Spaniard have another setback. They have not started the season they would have wanted, with Marco Bezzecchi scoring only 14 points from the first two rounds.
Martin says Bezzecchi is the ‘best rider’ to have as a reference. They both came to Aprilia from Ducati satellite teams and have similar setups – a big boost when it comes to understanding the bike.
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