What classy Fabio di Giannantonio did in MotoGP pitlane after Jorge Martin’s Qatar Grand Prix crash

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Jorge Martin remains in hospital in Qatar after his accident on Sunday. The MotoGP world champion has avoided serious injury but could miss the Spanish Grand Prix.

Martin was making his comeback for Aprilia, having missed the first three races, fell coming out of turn 12 on lap 14. VR46 rider Fabio di Giannantonio, who was in pursuit, wasn’t able to avoid hitting the Spaniard.

MotoGP fans were appalled that the Qatar GP continued as Martin received treatment at the side of the track. Yellow flags forced riders to slow down but they were still hurtling past the scene.

Martin has broken a number of ribs and suffered a punctured lung after the crash. It continues a brutal start to the 2025 season, with Raul Fernandez, Di Giannantonio and Miguel Oliveira also sustaining injuries in the last couple of months.

Fabio di Giannantonio went straight to Aprilia garage after Jorge Martin accident

Journalist Mela Chercoles, speaking on the Hospitality Motociclismo podcast, said Di Giannantonio was ‘traumatised’ after the Martin incident. There was nothing he could to avoid the contact given his speed.

All the Italian could see was Martin receiving medical attention a lap later, so naturally, he was deeply concerned. Unlike in other motorsport series, there are no radio communications from the pits, so VR46 couldn’t keep him up to date.

Rather than returning to his own garage, Di Giannantonio went straight to Aprilia after the race. They reassured him that Martin would be okay.

“He’s a rider who always speaks very well, very clearly, charming,” Chercoles said. “He told us that he could not avoid contact with him because he was [going] around 200kph. He found Jorge right in front of him. He did what he could.

“For the rest of the laps, he was absolutely traumatised thinking about Jorge. He saw that they were attending to him in the run-off area. There was no red flag, it was a yellow flag.

“Di Giannantonio rode the rest of the race thinking about how Jorge was. At the end, he went to Aprilia to ask how the Martinator was, and they reassured him. They told him he was conscious, he was stable, and his limbs had not been damaged, which means that his life was not in danger.”

This was the only incident involving Di Giannantonio as the three-time podium finisher also came together with Alex Marquez. Marquez picked up a long-lap penalty but that was little solace for his Ducati stablemate, who ended up finishing 15th.

Jorge Lorenzo has been in touch with Jorge Martin after Qatar Grand Prix

Before his latest injury, Martin had looked surprisingly competitive. He was at a huge mileage deficit relative to his rivals and wasn’t sure if he’d be in a physical condition to ride.

However, Martin stunned Neil Hodgson by passing Francesco Bagnaia, his former title rival, during the Sprint. He ultimately finished 14th but reaching the flag was a success in itself.

The #1 rider says he’s thankful that the consequences weren’t more severe, but when he leaves hospital it may be difficult to find motivation. The timing is undeniably cruel.

However, Jorge Lorenzo tried to motivate Martin with a message on social media. He’ll surely be moved by the support he’s received from figures across motorcycle racing.