Injured champion Martin to miss MotoGP season opener

PARIS: World champion Jorge Martin will miss the opening MotoGP race of the season in Thailand at the weekend after suffering several fractures in a fall in training, his Aprilia team said.

The Spaniard was already recovering from fractures to his right hand and left foot sustained in a horror crash on his Aprilia during the opening day of pre-season testing in Malaysia earlier this month.

Martin has now suffered multiple fractures in his left hand and also in his heel in an unrelated incident. He is to have surgery in Barcelona on Tuesday. “Jorge Martin suffered a complex fracture of the radius, some carpal bones on the left side and an ipsilateral calcaneal fracture of the left hand during a training session,” said an Aprilia team statement on Monday. “After a surgical consultation, it was decided to proceed with surgery, which will take place tomorrow (Tuesday) at the Dexeus Clinic in Barcelona to stabilise the fractures of the radius and the left scaphoid.

“Martin will miss the Thailand Grand Prix and recovery times will be determined after the surgery.” Martin had been thrown off his Aprilia at turn two of the Sepang circuit on February 5, having already escaped unscathed from an earlier crash. The 27-year-old spent 24 hours under observation in a Sepang hospital before travelling to Barcelona for successful surgery two days later.

At the weekend it had been reported that Martin would be fit to take his place on the grid for the season-opener at the Buriram circuit in Thailand, plans left in tatters by this latest setback.