News Summary
- Jorge Martín revealed he nearly decided against travelling to Qatar because of persistent pain from his right wrist fracture.
- The Aprilia rider finished third in the sprint and seventh in the Grand Prix despite struggling to brake and control the motorcycle.
- Martín expects to be closer to full fitness in Portugal, where he will arrive 60 points behind Marc Márquez.
Jorge Martín admitted he almost withdrew from the Qatar Grand Prix before travelling to Lusail, revealing that the pain caused by his fractured right wrist had left him seriously questioning whether he could compete in the penultimate stages of the 2026 MotoGP championship.
The Aprilia rider ultimately completed both races, finishing third in Saturday’s sprint and seventh in Sunday’s Grand Prix. Although Marc Márquez increased his championship advantage to 60 points, Martín’s result ensured the title could not be decided in Qatar.
The Spaniard had returned to action after failing to complete the Malaysian Grand Prix weekend, with the fracture sustained at Phillip Island still affecting his strength and mobility.
Martín admits he considered staying in Spain
Speaking to Spanish reporters after Sunday’s race, Martín explained that his physical condition had been so difficult earlier in the week that travelling to Qatar seemed unrealistic.
“I’m proud of what I’ve done, because on Monday and Tuesday I didn’t want to come,” Martín said, in a translation of his post-race remarks.
“In the end, I managed to finish both races. We’re going to Portugal with a chance. It’s getting more and more difficult, but we’re still in the fight.”
The 2024 world champion fractured the radius in his right wrist during the Australian sprint and attempted to return in Malaysia. However, he withdrew before qualifying at Sepang after discovering that he lacked the strength required to race.
After further treatment in Spain, Martín travelled to Lusail and received medical clearance on Friday morning.
His participation remained a physical challenge throughout the weekend, particularly over Sunday’s full race distance.
Martín reveals difficulty braking and controlling Aprilia
Martín qualified 11th and had to recover positions through traffic, placing additional demands on his injured wrist.
The Aprilia rider explained that the opening corners were particularly difficult because he could not brake or change direction with his usual confidence.
“There was a lot of risk in the opening corners,” he said. “Qualifying was key, because starting so far back didn’t help me.”
Martín admitted that the discomfort became progressively worse as the race continued, affecting his ability to push the motorcycle to its limit.
“I can’t ride properly, brake properly or take the bike to the limit,” he explained. “In the end, it was very tough. For the last three laps, I just wanted the race to finish.”
Despite those difficulties, Martín maintained a consistent enough pace to finish seventh, earning 9 championship points.
The result followed an impressive recovery to third in Saturday’s sprint, when he briefly challenged Márquez before losing second place to Fabio Di Giannantonio on the final lap.
Martín expects major improvement before Portugal
Martín acknowledged that his right hand remained heavily swollen after the Grand Prix, although he believes the break before Portugal will allow him to recover much of his strength.
“My hand looks like a melon, but I think I’ll be almost 100% in Portugal,” he said.
“I’m tough, stubborn. There’s something that keeps pushing me to fight.”
The rider’s recovery remains particularly important because Márquez increased his championship lead to 60 points after finishing second in Qatar.
With 74 points available across the final two rounds, Martín remains mathematically in contention, although he must prevent Márquez from establishing an unassailable lead at Portimão.
The Portuguese Grand Prix takes place on November 20–22, followed by the Valencia finale one week later.
GRANDE PRÊMIO is following Martín’s recovery and the 2026 MotoGP championship battle, with breaking news and real-time updates in its MotoGP section.
FAQ
Why did Jorge Martín almost miss the Qatar MotoGP race?
Martín was still experiencing significant pain and reduced strength in his fractured right wrist. He said he considered staying in Spain earlier in the week before deciding to travel to Lusail.
Where did Jorge Martín finish in Qatar?
Martín finished third in Saturday’s sprint and seventh in Sunday’s Grand Prix, earning enough points to keep his championship hopes alive.
Will Jorge Martín race in Portugal?
Martín expects to compete at Portimão on November 20–22 and believes his wrist could be close to fully recovered by then. His actual condition will depend on further recovery and any necessary medical assessment.
Alternative headlines
- Martín reveals painful Qatar comeback after nearly withdrawing from MotoGP race
- Martín admits he almost missed Qatar before keeping MotoGP title hopes alive
- Martín describes wrist agony after Qatar finish and targets Portugal recovery
Tags: Jorge Martín, Aprilia, MotoGP, Qatar GP
Slug: jorge-martin-nearly-skipped-qatar-motogp-wrist-injury
Meta description: Jorge Martín reveals he nearly skipped Qatar due to wrist pain before finishing seventh and keeping his MotoGP championship hopes alive.
Publication recommendation: November 9, 2026 — 12:15 BRT / 15:15 GMT, subject to the current publishing queue.
