Marco Bezzecchi
Aprilia rider Jorge Martin now faces a race against time to be passed fit to take part in 2026 pre-season testing, after he needed surgery for two injuries he suffered in 2025.
The 27-year-old endured an injury-plagued maiden campaign as an Aprilia rider last season, after joining the Italian squad from Pramac on the back of winning the 2024 MotoGP riders’ title. Martin only started seven Grands Prix across the eight rounds that he entered in 2025.
Martin’s move to Aprilia hit an early speed bump when he crashed during pre-season testing at Sepang last February. He also crashed while training on a Supermoto last February, before crashing on his debut for Aprilia in April’s Qatar Grand Prix and September’s Sprint in Japan.
Altogether, the incidents saw Martin fracture his right hand, left foot and left hand, break 11 ribs and his right collarbone and even sustain a life-threatening hemopneumothorax. Martin has now required additional operations on his left hand and collarbone to resolve the issues.
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Albert Valera rules out Jorge Martin riding in 2026 pre-season testing until he’s ‘100%’ fit
Martin underwent two operations in December to correct the injury to the scaphoid bone in his left hand and also his right collarbone, as neither was healing sufficiently. He had to miss the first three rounds in 2025 due to his hand and five Grands Prix because of his collarbone.
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Despite not being 100% fit, Martin returned from his fractured collarbone in Valencia for the final race of the 2025 season to then take part in post-season testing. But Albert Valera has now ruled out Martin featuring in pre-season testing in 2026 until the Spaniard is “100%” fit.
Martin’s manager Valera told SPEEDWEEK: “The operations went smoothly and as planned. Jorge can now continue preparing for the season and the upcoming tests.
“He is currently in Andorra completing a rigorous training programme with the aim of also taking the test in Malaysia.
“We’re not sure if it’s enough to reach 100 per cent for the Sepang test. But it’s looking good, and Jorge will definitely travel to Malaysia. Then, we’ll see on-site if it works. However, I expect he’ll take the test in Thailand at the latest.
“I stress, it is essential that Jorge gets on the MotoGP bike with 100 per cent commitment. Not 95, not 98, but 100%! Anything else is out of the question. In any case, we are happy with how things are developing now.”
Jorge Martin required additional surgeries after returning from injury too soon twice in 2025
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Martin and Aprilia knew that he was not operating at 100% when he returned from injury at the 2025 Valencia Grand Prix. The Madrid native used the round as a chance to improve his fitness to then be able to ride the 2026 Aprilia RS-GP in the 2025 post-season Valencia test.
It was not the first time that he returned from an injury too soon last season, either. Martin made his debut for Aprilia in the 2025 Qatar GP after he fractured both of his hands and his left foot after joining from Pramac. But returning from those injuries in Lusail was a mistake.
Martin admits his left hand “wasn’t ready” in Qatar, and it ultimately led to him crashing out of the Grand Prix. VR46 rider Fabio Di Giannantonio could not avoid hitting Martin, which led to the latter suffering 11 broken ribs and lung damage that kept him out for three months.
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