Reigning MotoGP champion Jorge Martin made a surprise video call appearance during Thursday’s Argentine pre-event press conference, providing an update on his recovery.
Sidelined from the first two rounds due to fractures in his left wrist, Martin ruled out a return at the COTA race and expressed uncertainty about participating in the Qatar GP on April 11-13.
“I’m struggling to recover as fast as I’d like,” Martin admitted. “I won’t be in Austin, and I’m unsure about Qatar. I’d like to test before racing again.”
The next official MotoGP testing opportunity will be after Round 5 at Jerez (April 25-27), though Martin may assess his fitness on a production Superbike before then.
Fellow riders offered support, with Marc Marquez urging him to “respect his body” and Francesco Bagnaia encouraging him to return only when fully fit.
Martin made history last season as the first Independent rider to win the MotoGP title in the modern era with Pramac Ducati. After switching to Aprilia, his 2025 season has been plagued by injuries.
A double crash during Sepang testing left him with multiple fractures in his hand and foot. Despite surgery, Martin aimed to return at the Thai GP but suffered another serious injury while training on a supermoto bike.
In his absence, Lorenzo Savadori has stepped in for Aprilia alongside Marco Bezzecchi, while Trackhouse rookie Ai Ogura impressed with a fourth (Sprint) and fifth (GP) finish in Thailand.
“It’s hard to watch from home,” Martin said, “but I’m cheering for Aprilia and hope they can fight for the podium.”
