Aprilia confirms Jorge Martin will miss Sepang MotoGP test
Aprilia has announced that 2024 MotoGP champion Jorge Martin will not be participating in the first pre-season test at Sepang next week. This decision comes after Martin underwent two additional surgeries during the winter to address injuries sustained during a challenging 2025 campaign.
As reported by Motorsport.com earlier this month, Martin will skip the three-day test in Malaysia on February 3-5. Despite not riding the RS-GP in Sepang, Martin will travel to Malaysia on Sunday to join Aprilia at the test and attend the official MotoGP launch event in Kuala Lumpur on February 7.
The Spaniard's recovery has been slower than expected, necessitating the additional surgeries. The first surgery aimed to correct a scaphoid bone injury in his left hand, sustained last February. The second surgery focused on his right collarbone, broken during a sprint race at Motegi in September. Interestingly, Aprilia had not disclosed these surgeries when Martin attended the team's 2026 launch event in Milan on January 15.
This is the second time in two years that Martin's season preparations have been disrupted by injuries. Last year, he suffered fractures to his left foot and right hand on the opening day of testing at Sepang, and then re-injured himself during training for the Thai Grand Prix.
Martin is now targeting a return at the Buriram test on February 21-22. If he's fit to ride, he'll have just two days of track time before the season begins at the same Thai venue on March 1. Aprilia has once again called upon test rider Lorenzo Savadori to substitute for Martin at the Sepang test, a role he filled for most of last year.
Savadori will also participate in Aprilia's shakedown at Sepang from January 29-31, which is exclusively for test riders and rookies. The team's focus on injury management and strategic substitutions highlights the challenges faced by MotoGP riders in maintaining peak performance throughout the season.
What are your thoughts on Martin's injury situation and Aprilia's approach? Share your opinions in the comments below!
