Newly crowned champion Jorge Martin crashed during his first outing with Aprilia at the Barcelona MotoGP post-season test.
The incident happened just two days after the Spaniard secured the 2024 MotoGP championship title, marking a significant transition as he switches from Pramac Ducati to the factory Aprilia team for the upcoming 2025 season.
The Barcelona MotoGP post-season test was highly anticipated, not only for Martin’s debut with Aprilia but also for the opportunity it presented to assess various new machines and configurations ahead of the next racing season.
Jorge Martin crash took place early in the testing session at the notoriously challenging Turn 5 and was described as minor and resulted in minimal damage to the bike.
According to reports from within the paddock, Martin was reportedly “going too slow,” which contributed to his loss of control at Turn 5. This particular corner has a reputation for catching out riders due to its technical demands and changing grip levels.
Fortunately, the world champion emerged unscathed and was able to continue testing shortly after the incident, showcasing his resilience and determination.
During the test, Martin had the chance to evaluate both the 2024 and 2025 versions of the Aprilia RS-GP motorcycle. He completed a total of 77 laps throughout the day, ultimately finishing in 11th place on the timesheets.
Despite the crash, his performance was deemed promising, as he quickly adapted to the new bike’s handling characteristics and aerodynamics. Observers noted that while there were areas for improvementāparticularly concerning front-end feelāMartin’s feedback would be invaluable for Apriliaās development team as they refine their machines for next season.
Aprilia’s technical director, Fabiano Sterlacchini, expressed optimism about Martin’s potential impact on the team.
“I think that the fact that we have Jorge, who is coming from the world title bike and he is a world title rider, is a big opportunity because we have a reference and we can understand clearly more the aspects that we have to concentrate on,” told the media after Tuesday’s test.
“I think in this short time that we worked together, yesterday [for] half a day and today, heās a mixture between a champion and a leader. And, to be honest, itās quite astonishing the way he is approaching the job. So, really good.”
The Barcelona test not only marked Martin’s debut but also served as a platform for other riders to familiarize themselves with their new teams and machinery.
Among them was Marco Bezzecchi, who joined Martin at Aprilia and also struggled during the session. Marc Marquez made his debut with works Ducati all donned in red.
The day saw various riders testing their limits; notable performances included Alex Marquez topping the timesheets with an impressive lap time that hinted at strong competitiveness heading into the new season.
