Martin passed fit to practice at Qatar GP
by Richard Asher · AutosportWhile Martin has a final fitness test to pass on Friday morning, two fellow Spaniards have been cleared for the weekend
Jorge Martin has been declared fit to take part in first practice at the Qatar Grand Prix on Friday, giving the Aprilia rider a chance of prolonging his MotoGP world championship hopes.
Martin broke his wrist at last month's Australian Grand Prix and the ongoing pain forced him to pull out of an attempt to race at the Malaysian Grand Prix last weekend.
Following a brief return to Spain after the Malaysian event, Martin will have another stab at competing at Lusail this weekend. But participation beyond FP1 will be subject to a MotoGP medical assessment.
With three race weekends remaining, Martin's hopes of stopping Marc Marquez from claiming an eighth MotoGP title are slim. He faces a 44-point deficit coming into the Qatar weekend, and Marquez could seal the championship if he stretches his advantage by 30 points by the end of Sunday's action.
Meanwhile, two other Spaniards have been cleared to take part in the entire weekend at Losail.
Gresini Ducati's Fermin Aldeguer will return to MotoGP action after breaking his hand in Indonesia, while Trackhouse Aprilia rider Raul Fernandez will make another attempt to complete a full weekend following his finger injury at the same race.
Fernandez pulled out of both the Australian and Malaysian events after limited running.
A team statement summed up the situation as follows: "Raul Fernandez has completed the medical assessment on his right index finger which was fractured in the Indonesia Sprint race, conducted by the Championship medical team, at Lusail International Circuit and has been declared fit to ride at the Grand Prix of Qatar."
Not present in the Gresini pit will be Fernandez's team-mate, Alex Marquez, who has taken the opportunity to undergo surgery on the right collarbone he broke at Barcelona in May.
Iker Lecuona, who stood in for Aldeguer in Australia and Malaysia, will thus switch to the other side of the garage to take the reins of Marquez's Ducati.
We want to hear from you!
Let us know what you would like to see from us in the future.
- The Autosport.com Team
Read and post comments