Jorge Martín overcomes pain to return to Valencia: "Being here is a miracle"

In the land of bullfighting, Jorge Martín has made his return to the arena. However, plunging back into the heat of the action after months of absence is anything but easy for the Aprilia rider who is " far from 100% ", as he told the press present in Valence, including AUTOhebdo, and already penalized for his collision at the start of the Sprint in Japan before even getting back in the saddle.

For months, the 2024 world champion had been waging a silent battle against his own body in order to be present at the Ricardo Tormo circuit, the venue for the final of the MotoGP. « I haven't ridden a motorcycle since Motegi (Japan)I got on the scooter in the paddock; that's the only thing I drove. he jokes.

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Love of sport above all

Passionate, impatient, daring: many terms could describe Jorge Martín's return. But it doesn't matter. For the Madrid native, the watchword is the love of MotoGP. “I could have stopped and waited until February, fully recovered, and started from scratch. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that I love this sport more than I ever imagined. After a year like this, I could have simply not come to Valencia, waited, but I want to race for many more years.” he saysI have the tenacity to recover and maintain this professionalism until the very last day, which will be Tuesday. (following the post-season tests, Ed.). I'm going to keep weighing my food, keep training twice a day. Everything I've done so far has been to race in Valencia and become a professional. I still have a lot to give for many years to come.

Before the final, Martín thus carries a message of resilience, having hit rock bottom a few months after his world title. He readily draws inspiration from those who, like Marc Márquez, refused to give in to fate. “It was an important year of learning. The good times have never been so good, nor the bad so bad. You have to put things in perspective and tell yourself that one difficult year in my career isn't going to define my entire career. We have a great example with Marc [Márquez]. I'm obviously not comparing myself to anyone, but he surely went through the same thing, or even worse. He managed to come back, so that's also my goal: to come back and fight for world championships. For that, I have to be here today, this weekend, and start building for 2026.”

Jorge Martín missed three races at the start of 2025 to recover from injuries sustained during winter testing and a crash in preseason training between Thailand and Qatar. Another crash at Losail forced him to withdraw from seven more rounds. Returning for the Czech Grand Prix, he made five consecutive starts before his accident in Japan, where he suffered a displaced fracture of his right clavicle.

In total, he will have missed 14 Grands Prix in 2025, his body stubbornly refusing an early return. “If it had just been a broken collarbone, I would have been back in Australia, but it was a much more serious injury than it initially appeared,” Martín confides"It was much more serious in terms of the ligaments; the muscles were torn too. To be here is a miracle."

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A year of learning through adversity

The first champion in a satellite team in the MotoGP era with Pramac in 2024, Jorge Martín nevertheless acknowledges that it is this season, riddled with obstacles, that has taught him the most. “Last year, I learned very little. This year has taught me much more. It’s a year of growth, of evolution. I’ll come out of it better. I’m going to train better, eat better, run better. This year has taught me that, not last year.”

Nicknamed the " Martinator Despite his explosiveness, the Aprilia rider knows he must temper his instincts this weekend. The final race won't be about results, but rather a test for Martín. He will therefore prioritize recovery without putting himself at risk. "The goal is to recover 100%. I won't take any risks this weekend that would hinder my recovery because that's my priority. I hope that explosiveness will return and I'm going to work hard to have it back next year."

Beyond physical preparation and a meticulously planned diet, the mental aspect plays a central role. “There’s obviously a mental aspect to it. When I fall, I get back up and prepare for what’s next. At no point did I consider not recovering. I feel good, mentally I feel stronger than ever, and I want to get back on the bike. That’s the most important thing.” It was this hunger for driving, stronger than the pain, that brought Jorge Martín back onto the track for the first Free Practice session where he finished in 24th and last place.

Interview by Luca Bartolomeo

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