Jorge Martin has withdrawn from the Malaysian Grand Prix before qualifying, ending his attempt to race through a wrist injury sustained the previous week at Phillip Island.
Withdrawal at Sepang
The factory Aprilia competitor pulled out of the rest of the Sepang weekend following an evaluation of his physical state during Saturday morning’s final practice session, in which he ended up 21st and last on the timing monitors. His departure from the event arrived just minutes after the start of Qualifying 1, as television broadcasts showed an empty garage once the pit lane opened.
Aprilia issued a brief announcement regarding the decision, stating that the rider will step away from the remainder of the event to focus on his rehabilitation.
Championship Implications and Injury Background
The early departure from Malaysia threatens to derail his MotoGP championship campaign, especially after he fell 10 points behind Ducati championship rival Marc Marquez during the previous weekend’s Australian Grand Prix. His status at Sepang had remained uncertain since a high-speed accident during the Phillip Island sprint while fighting Marquez for the lead position.
That crash resulted in a non-displaced radius fracture, which initially prevented him from competing in the full-distance Australian race—subsequently cancelled—and cast doubt on his trip to Malaysia. He passed preliminary medical evaluations upon reaching Sepang on Thursday, and MotoGP medical officer Angel Charte cleared him again following Friday’s opening timed practice.
Nevertheless, he ended his Friday track activity after only three laps during Practice in order to preserve his energy for the crucial phase of the weekend. Although he came back on Saturday morning to complete eight laps around the 5.5-kilometer track, he lagged significantly behind the leaders, ending up 1.8 seconds slower than Tech3 KTM rider Enea Bastianini.
