MARTIN VOWS TO KEEP FIGHTING FOR THE TITLE DESPITE ARM INJURY

Jorge Martin says he will keep fighting for the MotoGP title, but admits he is struggling to see it as a realistic goal as he recovers from a broken right forearm. The Aprilia rider’s participation in next weekend’s Qatar round remains uncertain.

Marc Marquez could clinch his eighth premier-class championship in Qatar, the season’s third-last event, but cannot do so on his own results alone. With a maximum of 37 points available across the sprint and Grand Prix, he needs to outscore Martin by 30 points and Marco Bezzecchi by seven. Bezzecchi could keep the contest alive, while Martin’s fitness is a major question mark.

Martin showed his determination in Malaysia, attempting to ride just six days after fracturing the radius in his right arm near the wrist. He went out without surgery, a cast or a brace, but finished last in first practice, around 2.5 seconds off Marquez’s fastest time. He stopped after three laps in Friday’s timed session, then completed eight laps in Saturday’s second practice before calling it quits. He has since rested the arm and worn a stabilising plastic splint.

Although Martin says the bone is healing quickly, he does not expect it to have fully mended—or his strength to have returned—by Qatar. “I did my best to ride,” he said of his Malaysia attempt. “The healing is going very quickly, but it’s not enough yet for me to perform on the bike. I felt that perhaps I could ride almost pain-free for one lap. After that, the pain came back strongly. I couldn’t deliver consistently.” After reviewing his lap times and performance, he and the team decided to stop and wait.

Martin acknowledged that the championship is no longer occupying his thoughts as it once did. “I don’t have to think much about the championship. Maybe I can win it, but for me it’s already lost,” he said. “I’ll certainly fight until the end—not just for myself, because ultimately I’m already a champion, but for my team and my people. I’ll try again in Qatar.”