With the second and final preseason test in Malaysia looming for MotoGP’s riders and teams, at least two riders expected to play a key role in 2025 will be sidelined and a third present but recovering from broken bones.
The first day of MotoGP testing in 2025, at Sepang, took its toll, with three riders – defending World Champion Jorge Martin, Fabio Di Giannantonio and Raul Fernandez – suffering injuries that will leave them starting the season on the back foot.
Martin highsided in Turn 2 on the first day in Sepang, suffering a broken hand (closed fracture of the 5th metacarpal head of the right hand) and multiple fractures in his foot (closed fractures of the 3rd, 4th and 5th metatarsals of the left foot). Doctors operated on his hand and determined that the foot injuries did not require surgery. While recovering, Martin will miss the upcoming tests in Buriram. Having switched to Aprilia after being passed over twice by Ducati for its factory team, Martin will start the racing season in Malaysia with only the post-Barcelona test and 13 laps at Sepang under his belt.
The crash started a nasty public spat between Michelin and Aprilia, with the Noale factory insisting that its data showed that neither the bike nor Martin had done anything unusual that would have caused the crash.
Michelin insisted that, according to the data provided to it by Aprilia, the inner layer of Martin’s rear tire was significantly cooler than that on Aprilia factory teammate Marco Bezzecchi’s bike.
Aprilia says Michelin was incorrect. “I would like to make it clear that our data in no way confirm the statements made by (Michelin’s) Piero Taramasso. I believe that the riders’ safety should be the priority, and I have already suggested him to set a meeting with all the teams in order to deal constructively with what is clearly a critical situation, as evidenced by the number of injuries,” Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola said.
VR46 Racing’s Di Giannantonio also is slated to miss the Buriram test as he has undergone successful surgery on his left collarbone. After missing the last part of 2024 to rehabilitate from surgery to his left shoulder, Di Giannantonio crashed on the first day of testing at Sepang when a celebratory wheelie went wrong.
Trackhouse Racing’s Raul Fernandez has undergone successful surgical treatment on the fractured little finger metacarpal bone in his left hand. Fernandez lost the front and crashed in Turn Nine after completing just 24 laps on Day One of the Sepang test. Fernandez had a screw inserted into the bone to stabilize it and will try to ride in the upcoming Malaysian test.
MotoGP testing is scheduled for Feb. 12-13 at the Chang International Circuit in Malaysia.
