Aprilia Racing’s Jorge Martin will miss next week’s pre-season MotoGP test at Sepang, after undergoing further surgery to the shoulder injury he sustained at the Japanese Grand Prix last October in an opening lap crash that also took out team-mate Marco Bezzecchi.
“In mid-December, Martin underwent two revision surgeries on his left scaphoid and right clavicle,” Aprilia explained on Wednesday morning.
“This decision is aimed at ensuring Martin’s full recovery and peak physical condition ahead of the season opening.
"Martín will nevertheless be present in Malaysia with the team, closely following the team’s work and the development of the RS-GP26.”
The news comes as something of a shock given that there was no mention of it from Martin at last week’s team launch, where he stressed to The Race that he had worked hard over winter to make a full recovery from the succession of injuries he sustained in 2025, including one at the Sepang test 12 months ago.
“I’m feeling good, and really happy to be here,” he said. “In winter I had a lot of work to finally get back to full fitness, but now I’m ready to go.
"I’m still working for sure, because after what happened last winter it’s difficult to be at 100% full fitness. I’m working on that, but I’m pretty sure I’ll be ready for the start of the season.”
Coming at the start of a second season with Aprilia where he will once again miss testing, combined with the concealment of his most recent surgery up until it ruled him out of this year’s test, it’s unlikely to build further trust between Martin and the Aprilia camp after their high profile feud of 2025 when Martin openly tried to find a way out of his contract mid-season and while injured to join Honda’s project for 2026.
Both Martin and Aprilia boss Massimo Rivola have gone to lengths since then to reassure that the issues were behind them - but it’s now hard to see another delayed start to a season as heralding anything other than the 2024 world champion’s looming departure from Aprilia in 2027.
Martin will be replaced at the Sepang test by Aprilia test rider and regular stand-in Lorenzo Savadori, while the Spaniard continues to target a return to MotoGP in time for the final two-day preseason test at Buriran in late February, just days before the opening race of the season.
