MotoGP: Aprilia officially confirms no Sepang test for Jorge Martin

Aprilia officially confirms that Martin will not be in action at Sepang, where they will field Savadori alongside Bezzecchi.

The 2026 MotoGP pre-season is about to kick off, and the BK8 Gresini team is not the only one forced to give up one of its riders (Fermin Aldeguer) for the first test scheduled in Sepang on February 3-4-5. In fact, Aprilia finds itself unable to field Jorge Martin in Malaysia, where he will still be present to closely follow the team’s work.

The 2024 MotoGP champion will continue his physical recovery program. In mid-December, he underwent two revision surgeries at the surgical sites of the left-hand scaphoid and the right collarbone. The decision not to have him ride at Sepang is precautionary, aimed at ensuring the Spanish rider fully regains his physical condition ahead of the start of the championship. He will be replaced by test rider Lorenzo Savadori, who will already be on track during the shakedown on January 29-30-31. Naturally, Marco Bezzecchi will also be there to work on developing the RS-GP26 at the beginning of February.

Martin will be regularly on track for the second and final 2026 MotoGP pre-season test at Buriram on February 21-22. The Chang International Circuit will then host the first grand prix of the calendar on the weekend of February 27–March 1. The two-time world champion would have preferred to ride at Sepang, but he must follow the doctors’ instructions to avoid further physical issues. After a 2025 marked by many injuries, he absolutely cannot take new risks: he needs to be patient and only race when he is at 100%.

Martinator is determined to do well with Aprilia; he wants to consistently fight for podiums and victories. Clearly, his name will also be central to the intriguing 2026 MotoGP rider market. Since his contract is expiring, like most of the grid, it’s not out of the question that in 2027 he could be with a different team than Noale’s. For now, his focus is on full physical recovery and doing his best with Aprilia; the rest will be decided later.