MotoGP Australian GP: Full starting grid as four riders forced out of Phillip Island race

Raul Fernandez has been ruled out of the upcoming Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island, joining a list of notable absences that will see the MotoGP grid with only 18 riders participating in the race. Among the riders absent will be the two riders from the factory Honda HRC team, Joan Mir and Luca Marini, both of whom are dealing with health issues that have limited their participation in recent races.

Mir missed the Australian GP due to an illness that has plagued him throughout the Asian leg of the season, while Marini was forced to withdraw from both Saturday and Sunday's events after experiencing a virus that limited him to just two laps during Friday's opening practice session. The most significant loss came during the sprint race when Jorge Martin, who had been leading the championship until Saturday, suffered a serious injury while racing alongside Marc Marquez.

Martin fractured his right arm's radius and there is a suspicion of a distal ulna fracture. He will now need to return to Spain to assess the full extent of his injuries and determine if surgery is required.

Fernandez, who rides for Trackhouse Racing, will also miss the Australian GP. He had been dealing with fractures to two fingers since crashing at the Indonesian Grand Prix. Despite managing his condition carefully at Mandalika, Fernandez aggravated his injuries during a crash during Friday's opening practice session. He tried to continue racing on Saturday, but was forced to retire early from the sprint due to the increasing pain.

As declared by MotoGP medical director Dr. Angel Charte, Fernandez is unfit to participate in the full-length race on Sunday.