Crunch Aprilia “shockwave” noted - and it’s not Jorge Martin’s injury

A major setback to Aprilia has been pinpointed - and it is in addition to Jorge Martin’s trouble.

The MotoGP champion Martin was Aprilia’s star signing but his title defence is already in ruin due to a spate of injuries.

He first injured a delicate bone in the hand which ruled him out of the first few rounds, but upon returning in Qatar, a scary crash left him with fractured ribs and a collapsed lung.

Yet, the unfortunate Aprilia have been reminded another another significant blow they have absorbed.

“Losing Romano Albesiano was a big thing,” TNT Sports’ Neil Hodgson said.

“He was the leader of the project. He was the Gigi Dall’Igna of Aprilia.

“He’d been there a long time. Maybe that sent a shockwave.”

Albesiano swapped his job as Aprilia’s technical director to join Honda, where his influence has seemingly already been felt this year.

Honda’s rise in the right direction is in contrast to the difficulties faced by Albesiano’s former employers in Italy.

Fabiano Sterlacchini replaced Albesiano at Aprilia, joining after a stint at KTM.

Jorge Martin’s first Aprilia feedback was good

The highest-placed Aprilia rider in the MotoGP standings is Marco Bezzecchi in ninth.

But it’s not all doom and gloom for Aprilia.

“Martin was happy with the bike,” Sylvain Guintoli told TNT Sports about the champion’s first laps since leaving Ducati.

“His first comment in Qatar was, in Italian, ‘the front end is scary!’

“As in, scary good!

“Even though he was in pain and couldn’t ride the bike as he wanted.

“He was full of praise and it’s such a shame he cannot express himself on the bike, and we haven’t seen it so far.

“Massimo Rivola knows that. That’s why there is no pressure.”

Martin’s efforts in Qatar, before his crash in the grand prix, were hailed. It offers hope to Aprilia for his eventual comeback.

“It was incredible, I thought, what he was doing,” Hodgson said.

“I genuinely mean that, I am not just being positive because the poor lad has had three horrendous crashes.

“I was shocked, so shocked. In qualifying he was full of adrenaline, trying to get a tow…

“To actually pass Francesco Bagnaia in the sprint race? No-one thought that was possible.

“He looked really good. He has to take time off, rest, then start again.”

In Martin’s absence, fellow ex-Ducati rider Bezzecchi has been unable to get the best from his new package this season.

“If Jorge was there, he’d have someone to compare to. To look at their data,” Guintoli said.

“They would both make each other better, and that drags the project forward.

“It would motivate both sides of the garage.

“They are struggling a bit.”