Written by Isha Reshmi Mohan, Edited by Sasha Macmillen
After a terrible crash at Sepang in February, Jorge Martín missed the season opener in Thailand as well as the Argentine Grand Prix. He has also confirmed that he will sit out the final race of March at COTA, as it is too ‘demanding’ at this stage of his comeback.
Following advice from fellow rider Marc Márquez and his own advisors to take time before returning to racing, Martín remains doubtful about his participation in the Qatar Grand Prix.
As he takes his time returning to racing, Martín suggested the idea of a test session during a press conference on Thursday, where he made a surprise appearance via video call alongside Marc, Álex, and Pecco who were on-site.
Following his suggestion, the team supported the request to ensure a smoother comeback, given that he missed the Buriram test and the first three races of the season. This means he has only ridden the bike once since the post-season Barcelona test in November.
“We think that for safety reasons it’s a very good option for everybody. Allowing a test with the MotoGP bike can improve the safety for everybody and also the show”, Paulo Bonora, Aprilia Team Boss told Motorsport.com.
Objection from Davide
While the request seems reasonable, Davide Tardozzi from the Ducati Factory team has opposed implementing the rule this year. However, he acknowledged that it could be a beneficial change for the 2026 season. He also pointed out a similar situation the team faced in 2023 when Enea Bastianini had to return from injury without receiving such concessions.
This poses a challenge for Aprilia, as implementing the rule requires unanimous agreement from all teams and Dorna. With Ducati refusing to support the request, its approval seems unlikely. However, an official statement from Dorna has yet to be released.
Be sure to catch the Argentine Grand Prix on March 16 at 18:00 GMT!
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