Jorge Martin's injury paves the way for Bagnaia and Marquez at the start of the World Championship

The MotoGP World Championship has started with an unexpected twist. Jorge Martín, the current world champion and a new signing for Aprilia, has suffered a new setback in the form of an injury to his left hand, which leaves Ducati's main candidates, Pecco Bagnaia and Marc Márquez, in an unbeatable position.

The Madrid-born rider was already suffering from physical problems after his heavy fall in the Sepang tests, where he fractured his right hand. Without having had the opportunity to adapt to the RS-GP 2025, he has now suffered a serious accident again while training with a supermotard bike in Menàrguens.

The result: a triple fracture in his left hand and an injury to his left foot, which will force him to undergo surgery again.

Ducati has a clear path at the start of the championship

Ducati has established itself as the rival to beat in the MotoGP World Championship for three consecutive seasons. In addition to the Ducati Lenovo Team, its official team, the Italian brand demonstrated its superiority last year by occupying the top four positions with riders riding the Desmosedici in satellite teams such as Gresini Racing and Prima Pramac Racing.

While Martin is facing a complicated recovery process and will miss at least the first Grand Prix of the season in Thailand (March 2), Ducati is in a superior situation.

With the champion out of the running for the first round of the calendar, both Bagnaia and Márquez see their path clear to take an early lead.

Bagnaia, a two-time champion with the Desmosedici, begins the season with the aim of recovering the crown that Martín snatched from him last year. Now, without the Madrid native, the Turin native, runner-up despite winning 11 races last year, will be able to take advantage of the situation to stake out territory from the first race. For his part, Marc Márquez arrives with the possibility of starting strongly after impressing in the Buriram test (Thailand) on February 13, by obtaining the best time (01:28.855) just one tenth off the record.

For Jorge Martín, this setback is a huge blow in his new phase with Aprilia. He has barely been able to ride his new bike, and when he returns he will have to face a significant disadvantage in terms of adaptation and physical condition. The Spaniard will have to make up for lost time and will do so in inferior conditions to his rivals.

Aprilia, for its part, has decided to temporarily replace Martín with Lorenzo Savadori, its test rider, which indicates that the return of the Madrid native may not be immediate, as everything will depend on his evolution.

His absence leaves Ducati in an unbeatable position for the start of the season. The big question is when and in what condition Martín will return. The first title battle seems to be being decided even before the lights go out in Thailand.