Paolo Simoncelli “grateful” for Jorge Martin: “Centimetres” from “tragedy”

Paolo Simoncelli has expressed his sincere gratitude that Jorge Martin avoided more serious injuries at the Qatar MotoGP.

MotoGP champion Martin suffered 11 rib fractures and a collapsed lung last weekend after crashing in Qatar.

He has endured a brutal 2025 since switching from Ducati to Aprilia, first highsiding on the opening morning of pre-season testing then breaking a delicate hand bone which ruled him out of the first three races.

But the father of Marco Simoncelli, who tragically died after an accident in Sepang in 2011, was relieved to see Martin escape without worse injuries.

“We leave Qatar grateful, not for what happened but for what didn’t,” Paolo Simoncelli said.

“Martin came out ‘almost unscathed’ after the crash and being hit.

“Luckily, he was hit ten centimetres from the point of no return.

“It wasn’t the moment, it wasn’t destiny, call it what you want…

“In that handful of centimetres, tragedy could have been inevitable.”

Martin's first public words after the crash were: "Thank God this could have been much worse."

The hospitalised Martin described his pain as “intense”, although MotoGP medical director Dr. Angel Charte insisted “his injuries are progressing satisfactorily”.

There is no timeline on Martin’s comeback but it will inevitably be some time before he is on a MotoGP bike again.

Paolo Simoncelli: "A clear rule is needed"

Simoncelli considered the dangers in today’s grand prix racing.

“That’s why I started thinking about the famous Misano kerbs,” he said.

“In the meantime, the increasingly lightweight wheel rims, in the pursuit of performance at all costs, get bent and damaged and every time it’s a cost for teams.

“And then, perhaps, they were given the green light with too much recklessness.

“Born to protect, but too often the source of problems, they carry their own responsibility.

“On the other hand, it must be considered that today’s riders have no rules.

“They know that beyond the corner there isn’t gravel, there isn’t a cliff and it becomes the ‘off-track festival’.

“There is asphalt, and that changes everything. Those who dare, don’t pay for it. Those who go wide, come back onto the track with no problems.

“Those who don’t make mistakes…what kind of advantage do they have?

“We continue to reward risk and penalise precision.

“I’ve been saying this for a while: a clear rule is needed.

“For example, if you go off the track you get one-second penalty.

“Otherwise – since we can’t introduce moats full of crocodiles – we go back to the good old gravel. Where mistakes have a price. Where every action on the track matters and teaches.”