MotoGP 2025 Sepang Test Marred by Injuries

Aprilia loses two key riders as pre-season crashes raise concerns ahead of the 2025 MotoGP opener.

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The opening day of MotoGP pre-season testing at Sepang took an unfortunate turn as three riders, Jorge Martin, Raul Fernandez, and Fabio Di Giannantonio suffered injuries, marking a rough start to the 2025 season.

Reigning world champion Jorge Martin was among those involved in crashes, suffering two falls, with the second, a high-side at Turn 2, resulting in fractures to his right fifth metacarpal and multiple fractures to his left foot. The Spaniard has been ruled out of the final two days of testing and will return to Europe for surgery, raising concerns about his fitness for the final test in Buriram next week ahead of the season opener in Thailand on March 2.

Martin’s Aprilia Racing teammate, Raul Fernandez, endured a separate crash later in the session, sustaining fractures to his left hand and foot. He will also return to Spain for medical treatment. Fernandez’s injury woes continue an unfortunate trend, as this marks the fourth consecutive season he has suffered an injury during pre-season testing.

Fabio Di Giannantonio’s day ended painfully as well. The VR46 rider crashed after a celebratory wheelie near the session’s conclusion, breaking his left clavicle. Having recently recovered from a previous shoulder injury, he will now return to Italy for surgery, hoping to be fit in time for the season opener.

Other riders, including Pedro Acosta, Enea Bastianini, and Franco Morbidelli, also crashed but escaped uninjured. However, concerns were raised about track conditions, with limited soft tyre availability forcing some riders onto harder compounds, which were reportedly difficult to manage. Marco Bezzecchi and others noted inconsistent grip levels on the asphalt, contributing to the day’s numerous incidents.

With two of Aprilia’s key riders sidelined, the team now looks to Marco Bezzecchi and Miguel Oliveira to lead their testing efforts. Meanwhile, the injuries to Martin, Fernandez, and Di Giannantonio cast a shadow over the pre-season, with all three facing a race against time to be fit for the start of the 2025 MotoGP campaign.

With two of Aprilia’s main riders out of action, the team will now rely on Marco Bezzecchi and Miguel Oliveira to carry out their testing program. Meanwhile, injuries to Martin, Fernandez, and Di Giannantonio have dampened the pre-season, leaving all three in a tight race to recover in time for the 2025 MotoGP opener.

For today’s second day of official testing at Sepang, Lorenzo Savadori will step in for Jorge Martin and Aprilia to continue evaluating the bike.