Jorge Martin, the MotoGP champion, aims for a comeback in Qatar after suffering injuries from two crashes. He acknowledges the challenges but expresses a positive outlook on recovery. Miguel Oliveira will miss the upcoming race, and Augusto Fernandez has been appointed as his replacement.
Defending MotoGP world champion Jorge Martin, who has endured two pre-season crashes, expressed his hopes to return to competition during the fourth round of this year’s championship. Martin has missed the initial two rounds and previously confirmed his absence from the race set to occur in Austin, Texas, on March 29 and 30. The subsequent race is scheduled at Lusail, Qatar on April 12 and 13.
The Aprilia rider stated, “I expect to be in Qatar, but only if it does not pose any risks,” as reported in the Italian sports newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport. He also emphasized the importance of not rushing his recovery, indicating that doing so could prolong his absence from the track.
Due to a previous crash at the start of a testing session in Malaysia, Martin sustained significant injuries, which included a broken right hand and foot. He later experienced another crash while training on a supermoto all-terrain bike, aggravating his condition. Among the injuries listed are broken radius and scaphoid bones in his left wrist, four fractures in his left foot, and muscular injuries to his right ribs.
Currently, Martin finds himself trailing six-time world champion Marc Marquez by 74 points in the standings. Marquez has achieved victories in both races and sprints during the early stages of this season. Martin remarked, “Marc winning is not something anyone could not have expected,” acknowledging Marquez’s strong performance so far.
Despite the setbacks, Martin noted that his recovery is progressing well, stating, “It was a difficult time but now I start to see the light” on his social media platform.
On another note, the Yamaha-Pramac team has announced that Portuguese rider Miguel Oliveira will miss the Austin race due to injuries sustained in a crash during the Sprint Race in Argentina on March 15. His situation has necessitated the replacement of Oliveira, with Spaniard Augusto Fernandez stepping in. Further examinations revealed that Oliveira suffered a sternoclavicular dislocation with ligament damage, prompting the decision for him to miss the upcoming race. Augusto Fernandez, the 2022 Moto2 World Champion and a previous rider for the GasGas-Tech3 team, has been serving as a reserve rider for Yamaha this season.
In summary, Jorge Martin, the defending MotoGP champion, is optimistic about returning to racing by the fourth round in Qatar, following significant injuries from pre-season crashes. While he remains cautious about his recovery, he acknowledges the challenges posed by his current point deficit to Marc Marquez. Additionally, the Yamaha-Pramac team faces changes as Miguel Oliveira is sidelined, with Augusto Fernandez replacing him for the upcoming race.
Original Source: www.communitynewspapergroup.com
