Marco Bezzecchi
Jorge Martin is back riding motorcycles as he edges closer to a return to MotoGP after months of injury.
The defending champion suffered numerous hand and foot fractures after a crash in pre-season testing, before breaking his scaphoid in a training accident. During his return to MotoGP in Qatar, Martin was hit by Fabio Di Giannantonio, sustaining 11 broken ribs and a pneumothorax.
The Spaniard has been sidelined ever since, slowly recovering to full fitness as Aprilia do not want to rush him back onto the grid. Recently, Martin has been conducting tests as the team pushed for a rule change that allows injured riders to take part in private outings.
Martin appeared at the Aprilia All Stars event at Misano back in May. As he edges closer to full fitness, he recently conducted a test in Barcelona, which, despite the scorching heat, went positively.
Aprilia have announced that Martin will conduct another test on Wednesday at Misano. He has been ruled out of the next race at Sachsenring, with the aim being to get him back on the grid in Brno next week.
Aprilia insider says their relationship with Jorge Martin ‘will be tougher’ as he conducts MotoGP tests
Martin will ride the RS-GP25 at Misano, marking the first time since the Qatar GP that he has ridden the bike. His return to the machine will be an exciting moment, but also very awkward amid the current situation boiling behind the scenes.
Martin is pushing to leave Aprilia at the end of the season after activating an exit clause in his contract. The two parties are in dispute over where to take matters, with Aprilia refusing to discuss a compensation fee with the Spaniard.
The Noale outfit say the exit clause is invalid due to the rider’s injuries, but Martin manager Albert Valera says the clause is ‘clear-cut’. As per a report from Motosprint, ‘the dust has literally flown’ in recent weeks as Valera did numerous interviews over the weekend at Assen.
It is still abundantly clear that Martin wants to leave Aprilia in 2025. His return to MotoGP will only make things more difficult, as one team insider noted.
“It will be tougher starting from the test,” they ‘admitted off-camera’. While it is hugely positive to see the 27-year-old back on a MotoGP bike, his desire to leave leaves them in a problematic situation, especially when they cannot reach a compromise.
READ MORE: Everything to know about Jorge Martin from net worth to girlfriend
Could Jorge Martin change his mind about leaving Aprilia?
Martin has been annoyed by his ribs upon his return to MotoGP. With so many fractures from the crash in Qatar, it is not hard to believe that he is still struggling.
But the Spaniard is nearly there with his recovery, and his team are still hopeful that they can keep him on board for 2026. Aprilia fans begged Martin to stay on social media, stating that he may have a good bike waiting for him.
The RS-GP25 has shown good signs of progress in recent races, with Marco Bezzecchi winning at Silverstone and scoring two podiums at Assen. Bezzecchi could make Martin’s return difficult, given his current form and that he is more accustomed to the bike.
But it is clear that the machine has taken a step forward, which could see the Spaniard U-turn his decision. Carlo Pernat reckons Martin could ‘immediately’ change his mind if he likes his feeling on the Aprilia.
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