News Summary
- Six full-time MotoGP riders will miss Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix, including Jorge Martín, Raúl Fernández and Luca Marini.
- Fernández has withdrawn because of complications from a fractured finger, while Marini remains affected by a viral illness.
- With only two replacement riders entered, Phillip Island’s final scheduled MotoGP race will have an 18-bike starting grid.
The Australian MotoGP Grand Prix will take place with only 18 motorcycles on the grid after injuries and illness forced six full-time riders to miss Sunday’s (October 25) race at Phillip Island. The latest withdrawals involve Jorge Martín, Raúl Fernández and Luca Marini, adding to the absences of Fermín Aldeguer, Joan Mir and Toprak Razgatlıoğlu.
The situation leaves Honda’s factory operation without a representative in Sunday’s race, while Aprilia and Trackhouse have also lost important riders during the weekend.
Martín was ruled out after fracturing his right radius during Saturday’s sprint, while Fernández has withdrawn because of continuing problems with a finger injury sustained in Indonesia. Marini has been declared medically unfit because of the effects of a viral illness.
Only two of the six absent riders have been replaced, leaving the championship with 18 participants for Phillip Island’s final MotoGP Grand Prix under the current agreement.
Fernández ruled out despite qualifying sixth at Phillip Island
Trackhouse confirmed that Fernández will not participate in Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix after the Spaniard struggled with the effects of an injury sustained at the Indonesian Grand Prix.
The 2025 Australian Grand Prix winner fractured the index finger of his right hand at Mandalika and had continued competing despite the injury.
Fernández performed strongly during Friday’s sessions, finishing second in both FP1 and Practice.
He also qualified sixth on Saturday, securing a second-row start despite the difficult weather conditions.
However, his physical condition deteriorated during the sprint, forcing him to retire before the finish.
The Spaniard subsequently underwent a medical examination, which revealed inflammation of the soft tissues surrounding the fracture.
Although the bone itself remains stable, the discomfort was sufficient to prevent him from continuing.
Trackhouse confirmed his withdrawal from the rest of the Australian weekend.
Fernández is expected to travel to Malaysia for further examination ahead of the next round, but his participation in Sepang remains dependent on medical clearance.
Marini remains unfit after viral illness
Marini has also been ruled out after suffering from a viral infection that affected his physical condition before the Australian Grand Prix weekend.
The Honda rider experienced a high fever for several days and subsequently developed muscle weakness.
He attempted to participate in the weekend but was unable to complete meaningful running.
MotoGP medical director Dr Angel Charte explained that Marini had continued experiencing symptoms despite treatment and rest.
The doctor said the rider’s illness had affected both his upper and lower body, making it unsafe for him to compete.
Marini will undergo another medical assessment ahead of the Malaysian Grand Prix.
His absence creates an additional problem for Honda, which was already without Joan Mir.
With the Japanese manufacturer’s available test riders also injured, Honda will have no factory-team motorcycles competing in the Australian Grand Prix.
The situation does not affect the separate LCR Honda entry, which will continue participating with Johann Zarco and Diogo Moreira.
Martín’s injury changes MotoGP championship battle
Martín’s withdrawal carries particularly serious consequences for the World Championship.
The Aprilia rider entered Phillip Island holding a two-point advantage over Marc Márquez but crashed while fighting the Ducati rider for victory during Saturday’s sprint.
Medical examinations subsequently confirmed a fracture of Martín’s right radius and a suspected additional fracture of the ulna.
He was declared unfit for Sunday’s race.
Márquez went on to win the sprint and reclaim the championship lead with 365 points, ten ahead of Martín.
The complete outcome of that battle is covered in Márquez’s Australian sprint victory and Martín’s crash.
The Spaniard’s injury and confirmed absence from the Grand Prix are also detailed in Martín’s medical update after the sprint accident.
Neither Aprilia nor MotoGP has confirmed a return date for Martín.
Which MotoGP riders will miss the Australian Grand Prix?
| Rider | Team | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| J. MARTÍN | Aprilia | Right radius fracture |
| R. FERNÁNDEZ | Trackhouse Aprilia | Finger injury |
| L. MARINI | Honda | Viral illness |
| F. ALDEGUER | Gresini Ducati | Injury |
| J. MIR | Honda | Injury |
| T. RAZGATLIOĞLU | Pramac Yamaha | Health-related absence |
Gresini Ducati has entered Iker Lecuona in place of Aldeguer, while Augusto Fernández is substituting for Razgatlıoğlu at Pramac Yamaha.
The remaining four absences have not been covered by replacement riders, reducing the original 22-rider field to 18.
When is the Australian MotoGP Grand Prix?
The race takes place on Sunday, October 25, at 14:00 local time at Phillip Island.
For viewers in the United Kingdom, the start is scheduled for 03:00 GMT on Sunday. In New York, that corresponds to 23:00 EDT on Saturday.
The race will cover 27 laps.
GRANDE PRÊMIO is following every session of the Australian MotoGP Grand Prix at Phillip Island this weekend, with breaking news, full coverage and real-time updates in its MotoGP section.
