Reigning MotoGP champion Jorge Martin said he was glad to be back on the race track at the Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix after missing 10 of the 11 rounds because of injuries.
Wrist and ankle injuries suffered in a pre-season crash ruled the 27-year-old Spaniard out of the first three rounds before another crash in his first race on board the Aprilia bike in Qatar in April led to a collapsed lung and bruised ribs.
He marked his comeback with an impressive fifth place finish at the Czech MotoGP practice in Brno on Friday.
“I miss this feeling a lot and just focused,” Martin told reporters. “It was a really demanding day, having all these conditions on track. We had to be always really focused.
“The dry line was really narrow in some corners so it was difficult to be consistent. I missed the consistency by being out for a lot of months.
“It was really emotional after finishing in the top five, not because of the result itself, but because I am back. I did a great job today. I am really happy.”
Friday’s practice session was Martin’s first time on the Aprilia in the rain.
Martin won his first MotoGP title last season with Pramac Racing before moving to Aprilia.
“I cannot be really optimistic when I go into the corners because I don’t know what is going to happen,” he said. “So I need to start feeling the things, but as soon as I put on some more tyres, I was always in the top four, top five.”
The Czech MotoGP qualifying takes place later on Saturday, with the race happening on Sunday.
Six-times MotoGP champion Marc Marquez leads the riders’ championship table with 344 points, with his younger brother Alex second on 261.
