Jorge Martin fell from first to fifth at the San Marino Grand Prix as a severe arm pump, the Aprilia rider revealed.
Race outcome
The Spaniard, who had taken the lead after Olivier Cagigues and Marc Marquez, slipped away just before the halfway point, losing roughly a second per lap to the champion and ending 14 seconds adrift.
He had seized the opening lap lead, but his pace collapsed with the expanding arm pump that entered the final stages. Braking, throttle and all—he reported “no control of the bike” and a forced descent toward the finish.
The race also saw Marco Bezzecchi crash out on lap one, leaving Martin as the unexpected front‑runner before the health issue surfaced.
Medical concerns
Martin talked about an arm pump that has historically required surgery—he had one in 2019 and never faced it again until now.
He said the condition “blocks” forearm blood flow, impairing muscle function. In race‑day tests, disturbed braking and throttle opening left him “completely out of control.”
He’s worried that a repeat operation could arrive after the upcoming Austrian Grand Prix. With eight rounds still on the calendar, the Spaniard is balancing the risk of surgery against the title run‑in, hoping Austria gives him a test. “If I have no problem in Austria, maybe I skip it,” he noted.
While his form threatened to derail the 2024 campaign, Martin remains determined to fight for the championship—though the arm issue may dictate his participation in the final races.
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