Honda denies it blocked Jorge Martin’s pre-Qatar return MotoGP test request from Aprilia

Alberto Puig has denied Honda was the one who stood in the way of Aprilia being able to hold a private test for injured MotoGP champion Jorge Martin.

Jorge Martin suffered multiple fractures in a crash after just 13 laps of running on the opening day of pre-season testing in Malaysia at the start of February.

It ultimately ruled him out from the remainder of testing, while a training incident on the week of the Thai Grand Prix left him with more fractures and setback his return date until this weekend’s Qatar GP.

Having not ridden a bike in anger since the post-Solidarity GP test last November, Aprilia lobbied with MotoGP to allow it to hold a day of private testing to allow Martin to safely readjust to a bike he’d completed a total of 90 laps on prior to Friday in Qatar.

Under the current MotoGP concession regulations, only Honda and Yamaha are permitted to test in-season with its race riders.

Aprilia needed unanimous agreement from all manufacturers to open up the rules and allow the test to go ahead, though this was denied.

It is thought that all manufacturers agreed to the proposal, except Honda, who opposed it and killed Aprilia’s hopes.

But Honda boss Alberto Puig has denied this, saying that all manufacturers agreed to altering the regulation for 2026 and not before.

“Well, this is not like this,” he told MotoGP’s world feed.

“It was agreed by all manufacturer that we have to do it - but starting from next year, not now.”

Ducati was initially publicly opposed to the idea, but ultimately voted in favour of the test - with general manager Gigi Dall’Igna noting that he did so out of respect for reigning champion Martin.

Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola took a measured approach to the situation on Friday in Qatar when asked about it, saying: “It was a good idea. I think in the future we will all find the agreement for that.”

Martin made his return to MotoGP action on Friday at the Qatar GP and ended the day in 20th overall, just under 1.6s off the best pace set by Franco Morbidelli.