MotoGP: Jorge Martin's 'painful' return at Grand Prix Qatar dissected as title defence begins after multiple injury woes
Updated 12/04/2025 at 09:01 GMT+1
TNT Sports expert Sylvain Guintoli has reflected on Jorge Martin's return from injury, after he took part in Friday's opening practice session ahead of Grand Prix Qatar - live on TNT Sports and discovery+. Martin suffered a nasty wrist injury just weeks before the start of the season, having already endured foot problems. Guintoli said his comeback looked "very painful".
Martin steps on to the track for the first time this season in Qatar to begin title defence
Video credit: TNT Sports
Jorge Martin hit the track for the first time this season at the Grand Prix Qatar - live on TNT Sports and discovery+ - as he began preparations for his title defence.
The Spaniard took part in Friday's opening practice session following his return from injury, where he suffered foot and wrist problems.
But he did not look his best, according to TNT Sports expert Sylvain Guintoli, who reviewed Martin's first showing of the campaign.
"It looks painful, from the video images," Guintoli said. "He’s really hampered with his movement with the left wrist.
"So his position on the right turn is okay and he can put his wrist on top of the bar and really get his elbow down.
"For Martin, his riding style, he moves his body inside the corners a lot, and he needs his wrist to do that.
"He can do that on the right, but on the left it seems really stiff. The problem is that you have got the force going into the corner, you try breaking and there is a lot of force sideways [on the wrist] and this is where it’s very, very painful."
Martin passed fitness checks for the weekend's action, and despite his early struggles, Guintoli feels that he has picked the right time to make his comeback.
"Qatar is one of the smoothest tracks, one of the tracks where everything is quite flat, there are no big bumps and you’re not fighting the bike too much," he explained.
"That said, it’s still going to be really hard work for him, a really hard workout for his wrist. It’s a much better track [than] Americas, Americas is the worst track to come back with all the big bumps and that.
"Jerez [Grand Prix of Spain] is going to be a hard one as well, the next one. So for him, it’s good for him to get back on the bike, a little bit of a workout, but it’s still going to be tough, it’s still very early in his injury."
How to watch Grand Prix Qatar on TNT Sports and discovery+
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