Overview
- Martin revealed on Sunday that a sudden recurrence of arm pump ruined his San Marino Grand Prix pace, dropping him from the lead to fifth and allowing Marc Marquez to draw level with him in the standings.
- Martin first noticed forearm problems during Friday practice at Misano and said the condition worsened through the race, leaving him unable to brake and open the throttle normally.
- He previously had surgery for arm pump in 2019 and had been symptom‑free until this weekend, which makes the return of the condition a fresh and uncertain medical issue.
- Martin plans to treat the Red Bull Ring as a live assessment of whether the issue can be managed on track and will only decide on repeat surgery afterwards because eight rounds are packed into nine weeks at the end of the season.
- Arm pump, medically known as chronic exertional compartment syndrome, restricts blood flow and muscle function in the forearm and can recur after surgery, so a decision to operate risks lost preparation time or missed performance during the title run.