MotoGP winner questions initial decision to let Jorge Martin ride at Sepang

Former MotoGP winner Marco Melandri has criticised the decision by the championship to declare Jorge Martin initially fit to race at the Malaysian Grand Prix.

The Aprilia rider suffered a fractured right wrist in a crash last weekend in the Phillip Island sprint, but was cleared to ride just a few days later on Thursday ahead of the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Martin completed the opening practice session, but withdrew after just a few minutes of the afternoon session on Friday.

On Saturday morning, Aprilia announced that Martin was withdrawing from the remainder of the weekend in another hammer blow to his title hopes.

“The show must go on…”

Martin’s injury typically requires several months of rest, with his wrist needing to be immobilised for some time to help this process.

The right wrist is a critical part of a MotoGP rider’s body, with throttle and braking controlled by the right hand.

Five-time MotoGP race winner Marco Melandri, however, questioned the decision to let Martin ride in the first place.

“You’ve got to explain this situation to me,” Melandri began in a post on his Instagram.

“Fernandez breaks a finger at Mandalika and races the very next day.

“Then, for the next two weeks, he’s injured and doesn’t race.

“Martin, on the other hand, has a broken radius - a bone that bears the full weight during braking, especially at Sepang, where you brake with the bike leaned to the right, and the load falls directly on that arm.

“He finished last in practice, skipped pre-qualifying, and has been declared a question mark for tomorrow.

“I’ll always be on the riders’ side, so I’d probably act the same way, maybe even worse.

“But the real question is: who decides whether a rider is fit or not?

“How is it possible that a rider with a finger he broke three weeks ago was not fit, while another, with a broken radius, can race because the world championship is on the line?

“I don’t know, whatever. The only rule seems to always be the same: the show must go on.”

Is it all over for Martin?

Martin will return to Spain to continue his recovery with a view to racing in Qatar next weekend, should the Middle East event go ahead.

He believes, at the rate he is recovering thus far, he can be 80% of his full fitness next weekend.

The Spaniard has already declared the title fight “over”, though vows to keep fighting if he can.

Marc Marquez has taken a 19-point lead in the standings after finishing second in Saturday’s sprint at Sepang.