Aprilia rider Jorge Martin says the shoulder injury that has sidelined him since the Japanese Grand Prix was more serious than first believed, leaving him unable to ride any bike in preparation for his MotoGP return at the Valencia season finale.
The 2024 world champion fractured his collarbone in a collision with teammate Marco Bezzecchi during the Motegi sprint race. Only this week was Martin cleared to race again.
Speaking on Thursday at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit, Martin revealed the true extent of the injury.
“I understood straight away that the collarbone was broken, but once we looked deeper into it, it was much worse than we expected,” he said. He added that he has only been on a scooter since the crash, with no proper training possible.
If he competes on Sunday, Martin will also have to serve a double long-lap penalty for the Motegi incident.
Despite historically strong results at Valencia, he says he has no expectations this weekend due to his physical condition.
“I’ve done podiums here for eight or nine years. It’s one of my best tracks, but not this time,” he said. “It’s strange to come to a race knowing you won’t be performing at 100%.”
