MARTIN AND FERNANDEZ MISS AUSTRALIAN GP AS BEZZECCHI BACKS TITLE RIVAL

Raul Fernandez’s bid to defend his Australian Grand Prix victory is over after pain from a finger injury forced him to retire from Saturday’s sprint at Phillip Island. Trackhouse said he was undergoing medical checks, with further information to follow. He was later declared unfit for Sunday’s 28-lap race, along with Jorge Martin.

Fernandez fractured two fingers in a collision with Aprilia team-mate Marco Bezzecchi at the start of the Indonesian sprint two weeks ago. Despite the injury, he took pole at Mandalika, finished second in the sprint and led the grand prix for 18 laps before Bezzecchi passed him to claim victory.

At Phillip Island, Fernandez qualified sixth after a strong practice showing, but could not complete the 13-lap sprint. Trackhouse said he withdrew because of the effects of the Indonesian crash, which had fractured his right index finger — the finger he uses to operate the front brake. The team added that the Australian circuit placed greater physical demands on him than Mandalika, and his discomfort became too severe to continue beyond lap nine.

Fernandez won last year’s Australian Grand Prix, his first victory in MotoGP. He was due to start Sunday’s race from sixth, but his withdrawal means he cannot defend that win.

The sprint also brought a serious incident for another Aprilia rider. Jorge Martin crashed at high speed at Turn 8 on lap eight while fighting Marc Marquez for the lead. The pair had exchanged places several times, and Martin had started fourth and moved clear of the rest of the field with Marquez. Martin ran slightly wide of the racing line before sliding into the gravel. Marshals carried him away on a stretcher for medical checks.

Aprilia confirmed Martin had fractured his right radius, with scans also indicating a suspected fracture to the ulna near the wrist. He was declared unfit for Sunday’s race and was due to undergo further examinations to establish the full extent of his injuries. Martin said he would travel to Melbourne for additional assessment and to determine what tests and treatment he would need. His availability for the following round in Sepang remains uncertain, with no recovery timeline reported.

In his first comments after the crash, Martin said: “Well, I’m safe. I’m alive. That’s the most important thing.” He described the fall as bad and dangerous, but said he was glad that “nothing important happened”, adding that it appeared to be “just a small bone”. He declined to discuss what the injury could mean for his title hopes.

Marquez said Martin had been faster during their battle and that he had tried to defend by attacking, but Martin still managed to pass him. “If it had been another rider, I obviously wouldn’t have taken such a risk,” Marquez said, adding that they were both travelling very fast. He said his first hope was that Martin would be all right, having been told the Aprilia rider was being taken to the medical centre. Marquez then focused on keeping Alex Marquez behind as he closed quickly.

Former MotoGP rider and pundit Neil Hodgson said Martin’s crash followed a costly attempt to avoid losing ground in the duel. Hodgson’s analysis was that Martin touched the kerb, unsettling the bike and making it harder to turn in. Martin then turned late and more aggressively to reach the apex, but the front tyre gave way. Hodgson said Martin could have run wide and lost around three-tenths of a second instead of pressing on. He also noted that Marquez had repeatedly put pressure on his rival, contributing to the intensity of the battle.

The crash is a major setback for Martin’s title challenge. He began the sprint two points ahead of Marquez, but the Ducati rider’s victory leaves Martin 10 points behind. Martin’s confirmed absence from Sunday’s race gives Marquez a chance to extend that advantage. The injury comes at the start of a triple-header, with Malaysia and Qatar next, and Martin’s participation in the coming rounds is in doubt.

Bezzecchi, who is now 50 points behind Marquez in third, backed his team-mate to remain in contention. “It’s a real shame for Jorge, the team and everyone at Aprilia, because he was doing a great job,” he said. “Obviously it’s not over yet. As we’ve seen before in this championship, anything can happen. I want to send him a big hug.” Martin had previously held a lead of more than 30 points, while Marquez was 102 points behind after the Italian Grand Prix.

Bezzecchi salvaged fourth in the sprint after qualifying ninth in mixed conditions and initially running outside the points. “I’m not happy with qualifying,” he said, explaining that he could not find enough speed despite being competitive in wet and dry conditions. “I’m happy with the sprint, though. I really enjoyed it.” His result could leave him as Aprilia’s only title hope if Martin is sidelined for an extended period.

Marquez will start Sunday’s race from pole, alongside sprint runner-up Alex Marquez and Johann Zarco. With Martin and Fernandez out, Jack Miller moves up to lead the second row, followed by Pedro Acosta and Fabio di Giannantonio; Bezzecchi starts seventh. Only 18 riders are set to take the grid, with Luca Marini also absent because of a virus. Marquez won the sprint ahead of his brother Alex and di Giannantonio, opening a 10-point advantage in the championship standings. The heaviest rain of the weekend is forecast for Sunday.