Jorge Martin cleared to race in Malaysian MotoGP after injury scare; Marc Marquez fastest in practice

Injured Jorge Martin clears first hurdle at Sepang as Marc Marquez leads Malaysian MotoGP practice. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Jorge Martin has been given the green light to compete in the Malaysian MotoGP after completing Friday’s opening practice session without any complications, while championship leader Marc Marquez set the pace at Sepang.

The Aprilia rider, who suffered a fractured wrist in a sprint-race crash at last weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, was initially 3.9 seconds off the pace. However, Martin gradually found his rhythm across the session, eventually clocking 1min 58.747sec to finish 1.8 seconds behind Marquez.

The Spaniard completed 12 laps, having been cleared to ride despite his injury. Marquez, meanwhile, topped the session with a time of 1min 58.912sec on his Ducati.

Marco Bezzecchi, 50 points behind Marquez in the championship standings, was among the quickest, finishing 0.474 seconds off the pace alongside Red Bull KTM rider Pedro Acosta.

Martin, who trails Marquez by 10 points heading into the Sepang weekend, had earlier acknowledged the risks of racing with an injury, saying his arm would have been in a cast had he not been involved in a championship fight.

Friday’s session was briefly interrupted by a red flag after debris was spotted on the track.

The riders could face a sterner test in the afternoon, with forecasts predicting heavy rain that could disrupt the second practice session.