FOGGY Petronas rider Steve Martin is set to miss the Valencia test session following surgery to remove his damaged kidney.

The Aussie picked up the injury at turn one at Magny Cours in the season's finale when he was involved in a three-bike pile-up and doctors decided to remove the organ after tests showed that the kidney was failing to heal itself satisfactorily.

An epidural injection was administered to relieve the post-op pain but, after an uncomfortable couple of days, Steve was also given morphine.

Martin said: "It's still a bit sore and I don't want anyone to make me laugh at the moment. But I am told that I will be able to function 100 per cent still and it definitely won't affect me riding a motorcycle.

"I am obviously going to miss our test in Valencia in November but I am expecting to be fine for the test in Qatar in December."

With Martin out of action, rookie Craig Jones will be the only FPR rider out on track in Valencia in two weeks' time.

But he is already clear about how he is going to approach winter testing and has started to make sure he is in peak physical fitness for the challenge.

Jones said: "I haven't really stopped my fitness work since the end of last season, as I didn't have to take any time out to consider options for next season.

"I had a fitness test at Loughborough recently and I am about to starting work with a personal Red Bull trainer.

"He is going to draw me up a regime, although I will have a fairly light first week as I am on the bike the following week. I expect there will be a lot of circuit training and mainly cycling for my cardiovascular work, as I don't do a lot of running. There will also be some weights to build up my strength for a superbike."

Jones was at the NEC motorcycle show earlier in the week to receive his trophy for finishing in second place in the British Supersport championship last year.