The preseason has not started well for Jorge Martín. The current MotoGP champion was involved in a crash during the first test day in Sepang, and the consequences have been severe. Martín must return to Spain to undergo surgery after being examined at the Aurelius Hospital, where he was taken following the accident.
The incident has revealed that Martín has a closed fracture of the head of the fifth metacarpal of his right hand and a closed fracture of the third, fourth, and fifth metatarsals of his left foot. Fortunately, he did not suffer any head injuries. The accident occurred in the fifth turn of the track during the official tests of the Motorcycle World Cup’s top class.
The team has released a statement explaining the incident, which suggests that both the pilot and the team are not at fault. Massimo Rivola, the CEO of Aprilia, stated, “The accident is inexplicable because the tires were at the right temperature. What I can say is that Jorge did not make any mistake, and the motorcycle had no problem. The data says it was not giving gas or failed the traction control. Something was not right, and the data reveal that it was neither of him nor of the motorcycle.”
Rivola has also asked Michelin for the history of the tire in question. He explained that Martín had fallen twice, once in a curve to the right and once in a curve to the left, despite the asymmetric rubber. Rivola stated, “After the first fall, Jorge said that he had never fallen like this. Then he left with the same motorcycle and fell into curve 2, on the left.”
Return to Action
Rivola estimates that Martín will be able to return to the motorcycle in the first race, which is scheduled for March 2. However, he also mentioned that Martín might want to return to the Buriram test, which will take place on February 12 and 13 in Thailand.
Marc Márquez’s Opinion
Marc Márquez has shared his thoughts on the numerous accidents that occurred during the first day of testing in Sepang. He stated, “There is wind. But I always say the same thing: when there is a lot of grip on the track, the falls are more unexpected. And there is a lot of rubber. There was already a rubber of the three days that rolled here. We have left, and there was a lot of grip, at least I have found a lot of grip. And I have seen very rare falls.” Márquez also sent his well-wishes to Martín, saying, “Fernández’s, Martín himself, who from here we mood and a big hug.”