Jorge Martin to Test Broken Wrist at Malaysian MotoGP After Phillip Island Crash

Jorge Martin’s return at Sepang puts his championship challenge and his injured right wrist on the same test. The Aprilia rider has been cleared to ride in the Malaysian Grand Prix, just six days after a crash at Phillip Island left him with a non-displaced fracture of the right radius. Whether he can turn that clearance into a competitive weekend will depend on how his arm responds on the bike.

Martin’s injury came during Saturday’s Sprint at Phillip Island. On Lap 8, he crashed at Turn 8 while battling Marc Marquez for the lead and was carried away on a stretcher. The crash ended a fight Martin said he had been enjoying, and immediately raised doubts about his ability to take part in the next round.

“It’s the worst corner to crash in Phillip Island,” Martin said Thursday in Sepang. “I was lucky because I only broke my wrist. It’s a pity because we were having a great fight. I was enjoying it.”

Medical assessments found the fracture was non-displaced. Martin chose non-surgical treatment instead of returning to Spain for an operation, with the aim of giving himself a chance to race in Round 19. Aprilia team principal Paolo Bonora said the injury proved less serious than the team had initially feared. Martin’s staff arranged treatment in Kuala Lumpur as he worked to recover enough movement and strength to try the bike.

A title fight with little room for a missed round

Martin’s decision also reflects the tight standings. He trails Marquez by 10 points, and the Australian Grand Prix was cancelled on Sunday, sparing both riders a change to their tally there. With the season continuing, every remaining opportunity to score matters to Martin’s bid to stay in contention.

He acknowledged that his approach would be different without the title at stake. “If I weren’t in the fight for the championship, I would’ve put my arm in a cast and waited longer,” he said. “I tried to do everything I could in Kuala Lumpur to recover faster. But the process of bone recovery is what it is. I will ride with a broken wrist.”

Martin expects to feel better by the Portimao round, where he hopes to ride normally. Malaysia and Qatar, however, remain uncertain because of his condition. His own measure of the title fight is straightforward: if he can be competitive, he believes he remains in it; if the injury prevents that, his chances fall away.

Practice will decide whether the weekend continues

Martin arrived at the Sepang paddock on Thursday wearing a splint on his right arm. After medical checks, he was declared fit to race. That decision lets him attempt the first session, but it doesn’t settle whether he can handle the full weekend. He plans to use Friday’s Free Practice 1 to assess his physical condition before deciding whether to continue.

“The first step is to be fit,” Martin said. “Riding is another big one. I will decide whether or not to continue after that, but I will try to be competitive.” He said his mobility and strength had improved each day, though he still didn’t know how his wrist would feel on the bike. He also cautioned that he didn’t expect to match the level he showed in Australia.

Bonora said Aprilia wasn’t pushing Martin to ride through the injury. The team expected the morning session could be wet and planned for him to start cautiously. After practice, Martin would have further checks at the medical centre to assess whether he could carry on through the weekend.

That step-by-step approach matters because Sepang places sustained demands on a rider’s arms. Heavy braking into Turns 1 and 15 tests the wrist under front-brake loads, while the long straights require continued throttle control. A broken radius can therefore affect more than comfort: Martin will need to find out whether he can operate the bike and manage those repeated efforts across a session.

Rivals expect speed if the wrist allows it

Marquez welcomed Martin’s presence in Sepang, saying that if the medical checks had cleared him to ride, he should be able to do so. He pointed to the sport’s newer protocols following his own injury in Jerez, and suggested adrenaline could help with pain. That is Marquez’s assessment; Martin’s own account makes clear that the bike, rather than a pre-session prediction, will provide the real answer.

Aprilia teammate Marco Bezzecchi also warned against overlooking Martin’s pace. He noted that the field is quick, with Marquez among the riders to watch, but said Martin could be fast if he felt good. The distinction is central to the weekend: Martin has the clearance and the motivation, but his competitive level remains unknown until he tests the wrist under riding conditions.

With a six-week recovery period typical for a non-athlete with this kind of fracture, Martin’s attempt to ride less than a week after the crash is an unusually rapid return. The practical takeaway for the title fight is that being present in Sepang preserves his chance to score, while Friday’s session will show whether his wrist can support the pace and physical demands needed to use it.