Jerez Jinx Strikes Early: Martin Penalized for On-Track Misstep
Jorge Martin's bid for a first Grand Prix win since 2024 took an immediate hit. Officials handed down a three-place grid penalty for Sunday's feature race at the Spanish GP. The ruling came after he was found "riding slow online disturbing another rider at Turns 3-4" during Friday's crucial practice session.
The rider in question was Gresini Ducati's Alex Marquez, who, ironically, went on to comfortably top the timesheets. While the penalty significantly toughens Martin's Sunday challenge, it's a blow that only impacts the main event, leaving him free to fight from his qualifying position in Saturday's sprint race.
Crash Chaos: Martin's Friday Falls and Tyre Temp Troubles
Beyond the grid penalty, Friday was a physically demanding day for the **Aprilia** star, who suffered two unexpected crashes. His morning tumble was particularly bizarre, occurring after the session concluded as he headed for practice starts. He dropped his bike at Turn 3, causing substantial damage that required frantic repairs.
This marked his second non-competitive fall in as many race weekends, following a celebratory wheelie mishap after his sprint victory in the USA. Later, during the afternoon practice at **Jerez**, Martin went down again at the notorious final corner, Lorenzo.
Martin attributed these incidents to
