HODGSON AMAZED BY MARTIN’S INJURED-ARM QATAR RIDE

Jorge Martin’s title hopes took a major hit when he fractured the radius in his right arm during the Sprint at Phillip Island. The injury forced the Aprilia rider to miss the Malaysian Grand Prix, giving Marc Marquez a chance to clinch the championship at Qatar. Marquez needed to outscore Martin by 30 points and Martin’s teammate Marco Bezzecchi by eight, but left Lusail without sealing the title.

Martin’s performance was a striking part of the weekend. He finished third in Saturday’s Sprint after briefly leading while battling Marquez, before dropping behind the Ducati rider and Fabio Di Giannantonio. A red flag following Francesco Bagnaia’s opening-lap crash allowed Martin to switch to a soft tyre, which helped him secure the podium. Marquez won the Sprint, but the result meant he would become champion only if he also won Sunday’s race and Martin scored no points.

That scenario did not materialise: Marquez finished second in the Grand Prix, while Martin took seventh despite his injured arm. Aprilia’s mechanics applauded Martin as he returned to the garage. TNT Sports commentator Neil Hodgson said the ride was difficult to comprehend, stressing that Martin’s fracture had not been operated on or stabilised with a plate.

“You just can’t get your head around it,” Hodgson said. “It’s not a broken bone that’s been plated, we’ve seen riders do that in the past where you know that the bone’s stable, you’re going to have to deal with a bit of pain. No. It’s a fractured wrist they’ve not operated on and he’s literally gritting his teeth every lap. I mean, it’s just incredible. I’ve never seen that before. Never, and I’ve been doing this job for a while.”

After Qatar, Martin is 60 points behind Marquez. The Ducati rider can secure his 10th Grand Prix title by winning the Sprint at Portimao, whatever his rivals do. Martin’s injury has left his championship challenge looking close to over, though he remains capable of fighting at the remaining rounds in Portugal and Valencia. The report also notes speculation that Aprilia might have been better placed to win the riders’ title had it prioritised Martin, rather than allowing its riders to race freely. With the team considered to have the grid’s fastest bike, his Phillip Island crash has prompted questions about what might have been.