Jorge Martin has been advised to rule out a quick return to MotoGP as he continues to recover from a serious hand injury. The reigning 2024 champion has already missed the first two rounds of the 2025 season and will also be absent from next week’s race at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA).
Aprilia, Martin’s new team, has not yet confirmed a return date after he underwent surgery on his radius and scaphoid following a crash during training in Thailand.
“The reality is that he’s got to give his body time,” said TNT Sports analyst Michael Laverty. “He’s in the doldrums—he wants to be on-track, adapting to the Aprilia, and defending the #1 plate. But he’s got to wait it out.”
Martin joined Aprilia for the 2025 season after Ducati chose Marc Marquez for their factory team, despite Martin edging out Pecco Bagnaia to win the 2024 championship with Pramac Ducati. However, his transition to the Aprilia has been severely hampered by injury.
His troubles began during pre-season testing in Sepang when he suffered a highside crash, forcing him to miss the remainder of testing. Another crash during training before the season opener in Thailand led to more severe injuries and required surgery.
Aprilia is adopting a cautious approach to his recovery, especially considering the delicate nature of the scaphoid bone, which is crucial for motorcycle racers.
With Martin already confirmed to miss COTA, the next possible return could be the Qatar GP on April 11-13, though the European leg of the season—starting with the Spanish GP on April 25-27—is viewed as a more realistic target.
Until then, Martin’s absence is a major blow to Aprilia, as he was expected to challenge for race wins and defend his hard-earned MotoGP title.
