MARTIN PUTS ARM SURGERY ON HOLD AFTER STRONG AUSTRIAN WEEKEND

Jorge Martin has opted to postpone surgery on his right arm after a much-improved weekend at the Red Bull Ring eased concerns about the arm-pump problem that affected him at Misano.

At Misano, Martin faded from the lead to fifth as the issue took hold. He had been ready to consider an operation if it returned in Austria, which was effectively his last chance to have surgery before a demanding stretch of five overseas races in six weekends. Instead, he won the Sprint and finished second in Sunday’s grand prix, behind Pedro Acosta, while beating title rival Marc Marquez in both races.

“I’m not at my 100%. But I’m feeling much better than I felt at Misano. So, we are in the right direction,” Martin said after the race. “I will not go into surgery tomorrow. I will try to continue like this.”

Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola said he did not believe Martin’s return to the top of the championship standings had driven the decision. In his view, the rider was prioritising consistency and avoiding unnecessary risks. “I think the lower risk is not having surgery than having surgery, since he had no problems today,” Rivola told Sky Italia.

Rivola noted that Martin had not felt well on Sunday morning at Misano and suggested other factors may have contributed, while stressing that the team hoped the problem would not return. Martin’s arm will face its next test when practice starts at Motegi next weekend.

The Austrian results put Martin back in front of the title fight, with a 12-point advantage over Marquez and 42 points over Aprilia team-mate Marco Bezzecchi. Martin said he was heading into the Asian tour in good shape and with a better understanding of the bike. He also welcomed avoiding an operation, describing surgery as “a big risk.”