MARTIN HEADS TO SEPANG AS DOCTORS DISAGREE OVER HIS FITNESS

Jorge Martin faces a race against time to return for the Malaysian Grand Prix after fracturing his right wrist during the Australian Sprint at Phillip Island. The crash came as he chased championship rival Marc Marquez for the lead, sending Martin tumbling across the gravel and forcing him to withdraw from Sunday’s race. Poor weather later led to the Australian Grand Prix being cancelled: rain and poor visibility meant the medical helicopter could not fly.

Medical checks found a non-displaced fracture of the distal radius near Martin’s wrist. He will not undergo surgery for now and is receiving treatment as he prepares to go to Sepang. Aprilia has confirmed he will make the trip, but whether he can take part in practice and the race remains uncertain. He must pass a fitness test with MotoGP medical director Dr Angel Charte on Thursday. A special protocol involving modified gloves could help him manage the injury, though it is unclear whether that will be enough to ride safely and competitively.

Martin is expecting his trusted physiotherapist, Aitor Tomas, to join him in Malaysia. Tomas designed the recovery plan intended to get the Aprilia rider to Sepang in the best possible condition. If Martin is cleared for FP1, he may face another examination on Friday before deciding whether he can continue. Aprilia says it will not pressure him to race, stressing that his health comes first.

Former rider manager Carlo Pernat believes Martin must understand the risks rather than leave the decision solely to Charte. Pernat suspects MotoGP’s commercial interests could favour Martin racing, saying: “Now it’s either the show or a rider’s health that’s at stake.” He added that a broken wrist makes a return “a very big risk” and asked: “What happens if he breaks it again?”

Yamaha is also reportedly worried about Martin’s condition. He has already signed to join the factory team in 2027, partnering Ai Ogura, with Francesco Bagnaia set to replace him at Aprilia. Martin is due to test Yamaha’s new bike in Valencia in early December. If he misses that opportunity, further tests are scheduled in Malaysia at the end of January and in Thailand in February. He has yet to test the Pirelli tyres or the 850cc bikes he will use after changing manufacturers, making pre-season mileage especially important.

Former rider Carlos Checa questioned whether Martin could be ready after only six days. “If he could race in Malaysia, I think he could have raced today too,” he said, noting Phillip Island had little braking and was wet. “I don’t think he’ll be in a condition to ride that bike at the limit, which is what’s needed.” Checa also said he understood Martin had been “much less demanding” on Sunday, though he was unsure whether that was connected to disagreement between Martin’s family doctors and MotoGP’s medical team.

Martin said: “I’m getting the treatment I need to recover from the injury and arrive at Sepang in the best possible shape. It’s impossible to make any predictions. We have to assess the situation day by day.” He may still withdraw depending on how his physical condition holds up.

Marquez won the Australian Sprint, taking a 10-point championship advantage over Martin. The cancelled Grand Prix left that margin unchanged, with four race weekends remaining. If Martin cannot race and Marquez scores maximum points, the title could be decided at round 20, scheduled for Qatar or Portugal. MotoGP News’ experts differ on whether Martin’s absence would end the contest: one considers the title race effectively over if he misses the Sprint, while another says he would still have a chance but would need Marquez to falter. A third points to Qatar’s uncertain status as another factor.

The Qatar round is also uncertain amid tensions in the Middle East. At least 15 riders reportedly voted against travelling there during a private meeting in Australia, although the race remains scheduled for now. Aprilia teammate Marco Bezzecchi remains in contention, 50 points behind Marquez.

Sepang has been a difficult venue for Martin and Aprilia. Martin crashed heavily during the 2025 pre-season test, beginning injury problems that limited him to seven grands prix that year. He also missed the Malaysian Grand Prix and the 2026 pre-season test while recovering from surgery in December. Aprilia’s best result at Sepang last year was Ai Ogura’s 10th place, with Bezzecchi 11th. Alex Marquez won the 2025 Malaysian GP ahead of Pedro Acosta and Joan Mir.

The new predictions put Alex Marquez among the leading contenders after his Sepang success, with several writers backing him for the Grand Prix or Sprint. Marc Marquez is also widely tipped for strong results, while Bezzecchi and Acosta feature in podium forecasts. Enea Bastianini, Iker Lecuona and Bagnaia were named as possible surprises.

Martin is not the only rider facing a fitness question at Sepang. Fermin Aldeguer will miss the race with a metacarpal fracture, leaving Iker Lecuona to continue as his replacement. Trackhouse rider Raul Fernandez is due to undergo a late assessment on Thursday after inflammation around a stable finger fracture. Honda expects Joan Mir and Luca Marini to return.

The Malaysian Grand Prix is scheduled for October 30 to November 1, with a 10-lap Sprint and a 20-lap race. Forecasts point to hot conditions and a relatively low, though persistent, chance of rain across the weekend.