Aprilia has explained why Jorge Martin was forced to withdraw from the Malaysian Grand Prix, revealing that the Spaniard lacked the strength needed to brake consistently despite showing signs of improvement with his injured wrist.
The 2024 MotoGP world champion arrived at Sepang determined to compete, just six days after fracturing his right wrist in a Sprint crash at Phillip Island. However, his attempted comeback proved too physically demanding, eventually prompting Aprilia and the medical team to end his participation in the weekend.
Martin initially received medical clearance to ride at Sepang and completed 12 laps during Friday's opening practice. Although he struggled to match the pace of the leading riders, he returned to the track later that day before cutting his session short.
The Spaniard continued his attempt during Saturday's morning practice but completed only a handful of laps before returning to the pits. Aprilia subsequently confirmed that he would take no further part in the Malaysian GP.
Aprilia team manager Paolo Bonora explained that Martin's condition had improved compared with Friday, but he remained unable to apply sufficient force during braking.
"His feeling was better compared to yesterday, but he was not able to force during the braking, so we decided altogether not to continue, and keep focus on the Doha GP," Bonora explained.
The decision was made collectively by Martin, Aprilia and the medical team, with safety and recovery taking priority over attempting to complete the race weekend.
Source: Padang Ekspres
Martin's withdrawal represents another setback in his championship campaign. He entered the Malaysian GP trailing Marc Marquez by 10 points, but the deficit increased to 19 following Saturday's Sprint, in which the Ducati rider finished second.
With Martin unable to compete in Sunday's main race, Marquez had an opportunity to extend his advantage further and strengthen his position in the title fight.
Despite the setback, Aprilia has not ruled out Martin returning at the Qatar Grand Prix. Bonora confirmed that the immediate plan is for the Spaniard to return to Spain and continue his recovery before the team assesses his condition over the following days.
"The plan is to come back to Spain as soon as possible and to do his best to recover."
Aprilia intends to monitor Martin's progress before making a final decision regarding his participation in Qatar. His return will depend on whether he regains sufficient strength and can safely manage the physical demands of a MotoGP race.
Martin's determination to return quickly demonstrated his commitment to the championship, but Sepang ultimately proved that his recovery was not yet complete.
For Aprilia, the priority now is to ensure its rider returns in competitive condition rather than risking another setback. With the season approaching its final rounds, the team will hope Martin can recover in time to resume his fight on track.
