The fateful 2025 is still taking its toll on Jorge Martín, who is carrying the consequences of the carousel of injuries his body suffered during the course. … past. A week ago it came to light that the Madrid pilot had undergone surgery in December to repair two of the fractures that had not healed properly. One in the left scaphoid, which was done precisely in the Malaysia test in 2025, and another in the right clavicle, the last of his injuries after his fall in the sprint in Japan.
The evolution of these two new interventions is progressing without incident, but they require recovery time and will force the 2024 MotoGP champion to miss the first test of the preseason. Three days of training at the Sepang circuit, from February 3 to 5, which are the first contact of the new prototypes with the asphalt after an entire winter of work in the factories. Some important tests for the brands, for the teams and also for the drivers, and even more so in the case of Jorge Martín who was only able to compete in seven of the twenty-two grand prix that were held last year.
Aprilia reported in its press release that although the rider from San Sebastián de los Reyes will not get on the bike, he will be present in Malaysia, closely following the team’s work and the development of the new RS-GP 2026. He will be replaced in the pit by the Italian brand’s test rider, Lorenzo Savadori, as he already did during the rider’s long absence last season.
The driver’s priority is to reach 100% at the start of the championship, which will start on March 27 with the Thai Grand Prix. And one week before the opening test of the season takes place, two more days of official training will be held in that same setting, the Buriram circuit, where Jorge Martín, if he arrives on time, could recover part of the lost kilometers.
Second loss of the preseason
Jorge Martín will not be the only absence from the important Sepang test. Neither will Fermín Aldeguer, who is recovering from the fracture of the femur in his left leg that occurred at the beginning of the month. The Murcian driver suffered a violent fall while training at the Aspar Circuit in Guadassuar (Valencia), along with the Márquez brothers among others. An injury that forced him to undergo surgery and that will prevent him from getting on his Gresini Racing Ducati in Malaysia. Like Martín, Aldeguer is working to be recovered for the start of the season and, why not, for the test in Thailand prior to the grand prix.
The preseason officially starts on February 3, but before that, from January 29 to 31, what is known in MotoGP jargon as the ‘Shakedown’ test is held, which is nothing more than a first contact of the new machines with the Sepang asphalt and carried out by the test riders of the respective brands. Tests that serve to fine-tune the new motorcycles and thus save work for the regular riders, and rookies from each course are also allowed to participate. In 2026 the rookies are the Moto2 champion, Diogo Moreira, and the three-time Superbike champion, Toprak Razgatlioglu. And along with all of them, Yamaha riders will also be able to ride in the ‘Shakedown’ since, among the concessions of the brands with fewer results, they are allowed to have these extra training days to try to close the disadvantage with the most competitive MotoGP.
