‘It makes no sense’ - Why Jorge Martin is ‘making a point’ by refusing to test on 'any bike' before MotoGP return
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Updated 30/03/2025 at 19:24 GMT+1
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MotoGP world champion Jorge Martin surprisingly told TNT Sports that he "won't ride any bike until I go back to MotoGP." It came after his team Aprilia had a request for Martin to test the RS-GP bike rejected. Neil Hodgson said the comments "make no sense", while Michael Laverty agreed the Spaniard was "making a point" by suggesting he will not check his wrist before his targeted return in Qatar.
Why Martin's testing comments 'make no sense' - 'He is making a point'
Video credit: TNT Sports
Injured world champion Jorge Martin’s claim that he "will not ride any bike" until his MotoGP return "makes no sense," according to Neil Hodgson, who believes the Spaniard is "making a point."
The Aprilia rider missed the opening three rounds of the season after breaking the scaphoid bone in his left hand.
He was back in the paddock for the Grand Prix Americas as an interested observer, and made a surprising admission when speaking to TNT Sports ahead of Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Martin was asked about Aprilia having a request for him to have time to test on the RS-GP bike ahead of his return to racing being turned down, as per MotoGP regulations.
"From my side, I won’t ride any bike until I go back to MotoGP," Martin said.
"It will be a big challenge to come back on a new bike without those kilometres. It will be really, really tough at the beginning of my season. But I’m ready for it and hope to come back soon."
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Martin targets Qatar return, says he 'won't ride any bike until MotoGP' after test request rejected
Video credit: TNT Sports
The TNT Sports team of Hodgson, Suzi Perry and Michael Laverty reacted to Martin’s comments ahead of Sunday’s live action.
Both Hodgson and Laverty agreed that Martin was "making a point" by suggesting he would come back to MotoGP cold without getting some practice under his belt on a different bike to test his injury.
"It’s strange. It makes no sense," Hodgson said.
"The wrist injury is bad and the only way you can check it is by riding a motorcycle. He could jump on a decent Aprilia - a superbike - and they could hire a decent circuit and push hard, and you will know exactly where your wrist is at.
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"I think he’s saying that almost to make a point, because the way the organisation is, you’re not allowed to test a MotoGP bike. So he’s saying ‘I’m going to wait until I ride a MotoGP bike in Doha’. It makes no sense to me."
""I think he’s making a point because they wanted the dispensation now to do it," Laverty added.
"The rule probably will change in 12 months’ time - 'why not let me ride my RS-GP now?' As Neil said, he can ride an RS-V4 superbike, it’s very close, you can even put the same tyres on. So he’s making a point in my opinion."
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Martin - 'Maybe Qatar is realistic'
Martin is hopeful of returning at the Grand Prix Qatar from April 11-13, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
He had to watch on from the sidelines as Marc Marquez of Ducati made a dominant start to the season by winning the opening two Grand Prix races in Thailand and Argentina.
"My recovery is going well. For sure, after the second injury, it was really tough, it was a big injury. I’m feeling better, I hope to come back soon," Martin said.
"Maybe Qatar is realistic. But I don’t know yet, maybe for Qatar we aren’t ready so let’s wait how my body recovers. Anyway, I’m feeling better, which is really important, and I’m happy to be here again in the paddock."
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Hodgson and Perry were sceptical about whether it was realistic for Martin to earmark Qatar as a potential return date, given the severity of his injury and the long recovery time that is often required.
"It’s so difficult. It doesn’t change in two weeks the sort of injury he’s got," Hodgson said.
"What’s weird about it is, when you look at him, he looks fine. It’s not like he’s got a cast on it, there are no big scars. He has had an operation on it, but there is nothing you can do.
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"It’s a scaphoid bone, it’s got that poor blood supply to it, it takes months and months. Sometimes it can take forever, and you can’t fix it. It has ended many good riders’ racing careers."
Perry replied: "Let’s hope it isn’t going to do that, and he will find a way back. But it will be interesting next time to see how he gets on, even if he gets on the bike, gets a feel for it, and calls it a day.
"I don’t think any of us expect him to be racing in Qatar."
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