Aprilia denies Michelin’s explanation for Martin’s MotoGP crash

Massimo Rivola is questioning the French manufacturer's reasoning regarding the cause of his rider's crash at Sepang

Aprilia is seeking fresh answers from Michelin about Jorge Martin’s nasty crash in the Sepang MotoGP test, having refuted the French manufacturer’s claim that it was caused by a drop in tyre temperature.

Reigning MotoGP champion Martin suffered a major highside on the opening day of pre-season testing in Malaysia, landing face down in a heavy impact to the ground.

Michelin stated on Friday morning that a sensor had detected the temperature on the inside of Martin’s rear tyre being 15C lower than what it should have been.

This analysis was conducted in response to Aprilia’s initial comment about the incident, with its motorsport boss Massimo Rivola indirectly placing the blame on Michelin.

“The data shows that the bike had no problem, and that Jorge did not make any mistakes. I have asked Michelin for the history of the [rear] compound. I wouldn't like to know that it had been stored for 11 months,” Rivola had said.

Now, Aprilia is not buying into the reasoning provided by Michelin for Martin’s crash and has called for dialogue between all teams to respond to what it described as a “critical situation”.

“Regarding the crash, I would like to make it clear that our data in no way confirms the statements made by Piero Taramasso,” Rivola said in a strongly-worded statement.

Massimo Rivola, Aprilia Racing CEO

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

“I believe that the riders' safety should be the priority, and I have already suggested [for] him to set a meeting with all the teams in order to deal constructively with what is clearly a critical situation, as evidenced by the number of injuries.”

In the crash, Martin suffered a single fracture on his right hand and multiple fractures on his left foot, so he had to fly back to Barcelona after spending the night at a hospital near Sepang.

The Spaniard underwent surgery on his broken right hand at Quiron Dexeus Clinic on Friday morning. The operation was performed by renowned doctor Xavier Mir and was deemed a success.

The fractures on his left foot didn’t require surgery, according to a statement issued by Aprilia.

“The rider Jorge Martin has undergone surgery for a displaced fracture of the head of the right fifth metacarpal, with reduction and percutaneous fixation using an intramedullary screw,” said Dr Mir.

“The functional recovery will start in a short time period, according to the clinical status.”

Both Martin and Trackhouse Aprilia rider Raul Fernandez are provisionally listed on the entry list for next week’s pre-season test at Buriram, subject to clearing medical tests.

However, Aprilia stated that Martin’s recovery time will be assessed in the coming days, casting doubt over his participation in the test.