Aprilia MotoGP rider Jorge Martin crashed after attempting a wheelie at around 100 mph at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas. Martin popped the front wheel to celebrate the sprint race victory.
This could go down in Martin’s books as one of the most embarrassing moments in his racing career, especially since the celebratory wheelie was for a race he won for the first time after clinching the 2024 MotoGP world championship.
Martin might have tried hard to do the wheelie, considering the complex electronics on board the MotoGP bikes that don’t allow the front wheel to rise that easily. But when he did get it going, it was a great spectacle. All was well as he went through multiple gears on a single wheel until the front returned to the tarmac again.
From the footage, Martin likely turned the handlebars towards the right when the front wheel was in the air, and failed to straighten it before it hit the ground again.
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This meant that the front wheel landed at an angle instead of being straight, leading to the crash. The crash came as a surprise not only to the race winner but also to the crowd, which can be heard reacting in awe. Fortunately, Martin walked away uninjured and returned to the paddock.
Speaking about the in-lap crash after winning the United States Grand Prix sprint race, Martin told Motorsport.com:
“It was full send. With the wheelie, I knew I was going to crash at some point.
“I wheelied in second gear, third gear, I saw it [the bike] wasn’t coming up, so I couldn’t control the front.
“[I reached] fourth gear, and then as soon as I touched the ground, I just crashed.
“I’m sorry for the team. But today, they will be happy to work. So, no issues.”
Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia, who came second and was Martin’s championship contender in 2024, was asked about Martin’s victory wheelie crash. He said:
“It’s been a long time since I’ve done a wheelie. My team made a bike [with which] I cannot [do a] wheelie. I don’t know this kind of feeling.”
