MotoMatters.com | Kropotkin Thinks

The MotoGP regulations allow for the teams and factories to have two official tests before the start of the season. The first is traditionally at Sepang, the second at the track where the opening round of the season is set to take place.

In theory, 2025 follows the same pattern. In practice, the second MotoGP test of the 2025 preseason is more of an extension of the first test than a completely separate entity. Since the riders packed up on Friday night, they have traveled to Thailand, had a day of rehearsing the MotoGP launch on Saturday, attended the huge official series launch in the center of the Thai capital Bangkok, a day off on Monday (though likely filled with sponsor obligations in an important market, especially for factory riders) and then a day to discuss the outcome of the Sepang test and the plan for the Buriram test on Tuesday, before taking to the Chang International Circuit for two days of testing on Wednesday and Thursday.

Jorge Martin's crash in the first hour of the Sepang MotoGP test has caused tension between Aprilia and the official tire supplier Michelin. Martin suffered a huge highside in the first hour of the test, when his rear tire let go in Turn 2 and flicked him over the bike. He landed very heavily, fracturing a metacarpal bone in his right hand and three metatarsal bones in his left foot.

Martin has since had surgery to fix the metatarsal with a screw, and is set to miss the final preseason test at Buriram. He hopes to be fit for the opening round of MotoGP at Buriram to be held from February 28th to March 2nd. But that means he will start the 2025 MotoGP season and attempt to defend his title with just 13 laps under his belt so far this year, and having played almost no role in developing the 2025 Aprilia RS-GP he will be riding this season.

On the Wednesday evening, Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola came into the media center to explain to journalists what Aprilia believed had happened. Though he did not accuse Michelin directly, he left little room for any other conclusions. "It was a bad crash for no reason, with no mistake on his side and no mistake on the bike’s side," Rivola said. Nor was it a cold tire. "The tires were in the right temperature and the right pressure. But we have no explanation in fact."

Out early

Unsurprisingly, when KTM's press officer started the online debriefs with journalists at the KTM launch, we were told that neither the riders nor the team managers would be able to comment on the Austrian manufacturer's financial woes. That would have to wait until KTM's Sporting Director Pit Beirer spoke to us at the end of the day (and once his computer had finished rebooting itself for the umpteenth time). But Beirer was very forthcoming about the current situation, KTM's future plans, and how they are approaching the coming season and beyond.

"It’s been a rough winter," Beirer said with a feeling for understatement. "But it’s nice to talk about racing." Racing is what KTM does, and what they will continue to do, he insisted. "Motorsport is a major part of our company. It’s not just our passion – it’s part of our business model. We go racing. Attached to our racing activities, there is a market. We wouldn’t be part of this restructuring [process] if that wasn’t the case."