Arm pump drops Martín from the lead to fifth place

Jorge Martín genuinely had the speed to win at Misano. After Bezzecchi crashed, the Aprilia rider closed on Márquez, passed him and took the lead. Then his pace collapsed. Álex Márquez, Pedro Acosta and Fermín Aldeguer all went by, and Martín finished fifth, allowing Marc Márquez to draw level with him in the championship.

The cause was not simply tyre degradation or set-up. Martín revealed that he suffered severe arm pump, progressively losing his ability to brake and properly control the bike. The issue is serious enough that another operation is being considered after the next Austrian Grand Prix. With Márquez now level at the top of the standings, Martín’s physical condition has become a direct factor in the title fight.