Aprilia: Overseas MotoGPs “like a test” for Jorge Martin
“We consider the first four races in the overseas as a test for Jorge”
A nightmare start to MotoGP pre-season testing means reigning champion Jorge Martin will begin the new world championship at Buriram next weekend having ridden his new Aprilia for just 13 laps.
Martin, who made history as the first satellite rider to win the title in the ‘MotoGP’ era at Pramac Ducati last year, suffered hand and foot fractures in the opening hours of the Sepang test.
The right-hand damage required surgery, forcing Martin to skip the final pre-season outing at Buriram, where team-mate Marco Bezzecchi impressed with third on the timesheets and a fast Sprint simulation.
“After the Sepang injury we had to redefine our plan,” Aprilia team manager Paolo Bonora told MotoGP.com. “We had many things to test, so at the end, luckily, we did all the job. We finished all our test plan, all our long, long, long test list.
“For sure Marco did a very great job. He defined his base setup, electronic side and chassis side. And having [test rider] Lorenzo Savadori helped us a lot to define all the parts that we can bring to Jorge.
“We are waiting for Jorge because it is necessary to bring to him, for the first race, the base set up that we found during this winter. We hope that during the first race, he will immediately find confidence with the bike.
“At the moment, his medical recovery plan is fully under control. He is finding [each] day a better and better feeling. So we are looking forward to having him with us as soon as possible.”
Jorge Martin slow start to 2025 racing
But Bonora concedes that hundreds of lost testing laps can’t be easily overcome.
As such, they’ll treat the opening rounds as a test for Martin.
“To be fully honest with you, we consider the first four races in the overseas as a test for Jorge because he lost the opportunity to test during Sepang and Buriram,” Bonora explained.
“And in MotoGP when you jump from one bike to a new one, you have to find the confidence.
“It will not be easy but we will put all our energy to help him.
“We have seen that Marco immediately felt the confidence here in Buriram so this gives us more confidence to bring to Jorge a good bike.”
The first of Martin’s home Spanish rounds, at Jerez, kicks off the European leg of the MotoGP season from April 27-29.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
