JORGE MARTIN SAYS AUSTRIAN SPRINT WILL DECIDE WHETHER HE GETS ARM SURGERY

Jorge Martin says he is weighing up whether he needs surgery on an arm issue as the Austrian Grand Prix approaches, with his decision set to come after the sprint race and qualifying at the Red Bull Ring. The Aprilia rider’s comments come amid fresh pressure in the title fight, after he lost his championship lead to Marc Marquez following the San Marino Grand Prix.

Martin revealed that he was dealing with problems in his arm during Misano, admitting that the condition is one that often requires surgery for riders. While he suggested he is not in as much pain as he was in the previous round, he stressed that he wants to avoid repeating the same mistake he made last weekend—pushing too hard after the sprint. “Better,” Martin said when asked how his arm is feeling after Misano. “I’ll see tomorrow when I go out on track.”

Speaking at the Austrian Grand Prix press conference to AS and other outlets, Martin outlined his plan for how he will judge the situation. He said the “best test” would be going out on track and then deciding over the course of the weekend whether to have surgery. “The best test I can do is go out on track, see how it is, and then, over the weekend, decide whether or not to have the surgery,” he explained. He also framed the decision around Sunday’s race, adding that the muscle issue, in his view, is not something that will simply worsen due to fatigue. “The important thing is Sunday’s race,” Martin said. “It’s a muscle that I don’t think will get worse with fatigue: it either works or it doesn’t.”

Martin said he will attempt to ride as he normally does, but will adjust if the arm starts to limit him. “I’ll try to ride the way I know how. If I see that I’m pushing too hard, I’ll have to manage it,” he added. He believes the sprint will be the key moment for understanding how the arm responds under race intensity. “I think I won’t really understand until I do the sprint,” he said, pointing back to Misano: “At Misano, I wasn’t doing too badly either, and it was after the sprint that I said, ‘Tomorrow I’m going to be pushing too hard.’ And that’s how it was. I think the sprint will be the key moment.”

The weekend’s context is significant for Martin’s wider plans. With the championship fight currently tight—described as having “nothing to separate” him from Marquez outside of total races—Martin could be tempted to chase a strong Saturday result to keep momentum while delaying any medical intervention. The report notes that a sprint win could make him think he can reverse his fortunes and climb back to the top of the standings.

However, the potential downside is substantial. Delaying surgery, the source argues, could jeopardise Martin’s future campaign, particularly because he is set to join Yamaha. It points to how other riders’ seasons have been affected when injuries are not addressed promptly, referencing Marquez’s difficult start to the year as an example of how poor timing can nearly cost a rider the chance to fight for the title.

In that light, the key takeaway from Martin’s Austrian Grand Prix plan is that his decision will be shaped by what happens after the sprint—both in terms of how the arm holds up and how much he feels he can push. The report’s conclusion is that the safest path would be to avoid postponing surgery, so Martin can give Aprilia his best in the remaining races while also ensuring he is physically ready for the 2027 move to Yamaha.