Jorge Martín Discharged with Bad News Ahead of 2025 MotoGP Season

Alex Harrington | Feb 8, 2025

Apr 13, 2024; Austin, TX, USA; Jorge Martin (89) of Spain and Prima Pramac Racing waves to the fans after the Americas Grand Prix sprint race at Circuit of The Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Jorge Martín has been discharged from hospital after a serious crash in pre-season testing, leaving him with multiple fractures and raising concerns about his recovery and readiness for the 2025 MotoGP season. He has been told that he will not attend the testing at the Buriram next week.

Martín, reigning MotoGP World Champion, has been discharged from the hospital following a serious crash during pre-season testing at Sepang. After a highside crash at Turn 2, he was treated for a fracture in his right hand and multiple fractures in his left foot.

Though surgery was successful, Martín faces a challenging recovery as he prepares for the 2025 MotoGP season, raising concerns over his readiness for the opening race in Thailand later this month.

“The rider Jorge Martín has undergone surgery for a displaced fracture of the head of the right fifth metacarpal, with reduction and percutaneous fixation using an intramedullary screw. The functional recovery will start in a short time period, according to the clinical status," said Xavier Mir, PhD MD RAMC.

His 2024 championship win with Pramac Racing was a big year for the rider, subsequently resulting in a move to Aprilia for the 2025 season. This crash has thrown a wrench into his plans with Aprilia, as it's his first pre-season test with the team, and he now has to juggle recovery with adapting to a new team and machinery.  

More News: Jorge Martin Injury Update: Hospitalized After Sepang MotoGP Test   

Aprilia aims to bolster their standings in MotoGP, a bid made evident in their recruitment of Martín. The team now faces an immediate challenge with Martín sidelined, affecting their testing.

Massimo Rivola, Aprilia's CEO, has called for more transparency from Michelin about their tyres which he believes caused the crash.

"The data shows that the bike had no problem, and Jorge did not make any mistakes. I have asked Michelin for the history of the rear compound. I wouldn’t like to know that it had been stored for 11 months."  

The crash sparked a row between Aprilia and Michelin, the sole tyre supplier for MotoGP. Michelin's role has repeatedly come under the spotlight over the years, as the balance between tyre performance and safety is continually scrutinized.

Piero Taramasso, Michelin's director, shed some light on the situation.

"We looked at Jorge's rear tyre: as far as traceability is concerned, this tyre was manufactured last year, it was never heated and therefore had all the qualities to be a high-performance tyre and that's why we brought it here."  

More News: Aprilia Hits Back At Michelin After Jorge Martin Crash   

He further detailed the conditions and factors that contributed to the crash.

"We looked at the tyre after the runs that Jorge did and it worked well: you can see it from the look; it worked both left and right. When tyres don't work, they always have that shiny, smooth look, and that wasn't the case for Jorge's tyre."

Taramasso also pointed out that "the rear temperature, the value we use to understand if the tyre works or not, is the inner layer temperature; for instance, it’s the data coming from the McLaren sensor."  

"So," he explained, "this is for sure a big parameter that combined with the track conditions, that, remember, was very slippery, was windy, was cold, was only 30 degrees, here normally is 50 degrees, we had rain overnight. So, the bad condition, and the tyre not ready—that’s why the crash happened."  

In terms of Martín's recovery, the surgery performed in Barcelona's Dexeus Clinic focused primarily on his right hand. The rehabilitation process for MotoGP athletes usually encompasses both physical and mental recovery, which will push him out of the upcoming testing at the Buriram track next week.

More News: Franco Morbidelli Surprised By Sepang MotoGP Testing Crashes: 'Bad to See'