After the exchange of schedules of the sprint race with the long race, it was expected that the sprint race would be cancelled this sunday, after all forecasts pointed to very complicated conditions for the riders, and after a very complicated Moto2 race.

Still, the riders spoke to journalists and Raul Fernandez was one of the defenders of canceling today’s sprint, stating that the conditions were not met for the sprint to take place, despite the weather situation being stable in the warm up:

– In my case, I think they made the right decision, because this morning the track wasn’t so bad, the wind was stable. The problem was during the Moto2 race, the wind started to rise, it was too aggressive. You’ve seen a lot of crashes, so for me, they made a good decision.

The #25 of CryptoDATA RNF Aprilia also said that the change of schedules was unanimous between the riders, already anticipating that on sunday it would be impossible to race:

– That’s why (weather conditions) we tried everything to make the long race yesterday, because we knew there was a possibility that there wouldn’t be the sprint, it was in everybody’s mind, so it was a good decision.

O conteúdo ‘You saw a lot of crashes, so for me, they made a good decision’ – Raul Fernández aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

If there was something clear in the past GPs is that Raul Fernandez has found something that led him to improve his results and is finally showing more of his potential and now, on Mandalika, he wants to be closer to top faster riders.

Previewing this round, the CryptoDATA RNF Racing MotoGP rider said he believes the indonesian track can be good:  ‘I think Mandalika will be a good track for us. I am very enthusiastic to go there because the last rounds have been very good for us’.

Given his last results, the spaniard has a clear goal: to continue adding up good performances inside the top ten, but this time… ‘a little bit’ more:

– This weekend, I want to keep our line and also the good results and try to enjoy riding the bike. The first target is to continue the progress we are doing and the second thing is, trying to improve on our results a little bit further because now it’s time to not just be in the top 10 again, but also to close up to the top 5.

O conteúdo Raul Fernandez wants more at Indonesia: ‘I want to improve our results further, close to the top five’ aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Raúl Fernández ended the Japanese Grand Prix with a significant amount of frustration. The Aprilia rider faced a penalty in the form of a Long Lap due to an incorrect bike position during a change. The bike was not within the designated lines, leading to the penalty.

Fernández expressed his annoyance, stating, “It’s not just about losing three positions. It affects the hard work of a team comprising more than 50 people. It’s not acceptable.” He continued, “We’re in the best championship, and the rules that we have are sometimes a joke,” he fumed. “A joke. We need to improve the f***ing penalties. You can kill one rider and you have a warning, but if you close the line one pitbox before yours, you have a long lap. This is a joke.”

“OK, if you do it the first time and to have a long lap? This is a stupid thing. I’m really happy with the work we did during the weekend, fighting for top six, but the penalty wasn’t the correct thing. We are in the f***ing MotoGP championship and sometimes we look like children. When you have more than 20 people behind you, they can’t destroy your race.”

Fernández was visibly upset about the in-race penalty. He emphasized, “We have the best championship, with all the top manufacturers. The bikes are incredible. The current influence of MotoGP is immense. And for such a trivial matter, you get a Long Lap penalty?”

He added, “Our position was to finish sixth. It doesn’t change from sixth to ninth. It’s clear that our performance isn’t a one-off, and we’re consistently up there. But this irks me. Every action has different consequences. I apologize, but this seems surreal.”

Explaining the incident, Fernández said, “When entering to change the bike, there were about eighty mechanics crossing paths. The mechanics with the panels stand up early when a rider approaches. I was passing by and saw a stop sign being lifted instead of being held in place. That’s why I went in that direction. Otherwise, there would have been a collision in the pit lane.”

He acknowledged, “Perhaps I didn’t handle it well. It’s my first ‘flag to flag’, which is understandable. But not even a ‘warning’? Just a Long Lap. The team laughed it off, but once it’s done, there’s nothing you can do.” Fernández concluded by explaining his stance on the situation.

O conteúdo ‘You can kill one rider and you have a warning, but if you close the line one pitbox before yours, you have a long lap. This is a joke’ – Raul Fernandez aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Raul Fernandez’s upward trend continues and today at Motegi in the Sprint race the spaniard finished inside the top ten. Despite the result, the spaniard admitted to have unexpected problems with his grip and re-emphasised the idea that he can help Aprilia evolve.

Even before the race, the rider was in the spotlight as he went from Q1 to Q2, and spoke about how when he is given the necessary tools and the adjustments he asks for, he delivers in performance: ‘Honestly, and as I said yesterday, I think I had the potential to go straight into Q2, but the important thing is that I did it. When I say that something isn’t 100 per cent as I want it to be and I say that if we improve «here» I’ll do «this» lap time, and when they bring you this confidence and you do it, it’s something that makes your confidence grow. Basically this morning I felt very constant, very fast. I did three or four laps in the 1m44.00s, it wasn’t just one lap and I’m happy’.

However, in the first race of the weekend not everything went to plan: ‘In the Sprint race there was something strange because I didn’t feel any grip during all the race… It’s something strange and we have to analyse it: why weren’t we as fast as we were in the morning?!! With a used tyre I was faster than in the Sprint race with a new tyre. We have to understand this because tomorrow we have the long race. The tyre I used in the Sprint was the one they bring you when you go from Q1 to Q2′.

The CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP rider was once again happy with the moment and reaffirmed that he could be an important element for Aprilia Racing and a key player in the development of the RS-GP:

– I’m honestly happy. The difference for the first Aprilia isn’t very big. I can help Aprilia to improve the level and I can give them good information and I think I’m now in a good position to do that for them. I’m happy about that and tomorrow if we can combine everything we’ll have a very good race, I believe.

O conteúdo ‘When they give me what I ask for I can do the times; In the Sprint I had no grip, something strange happened’ – Raul Fernandez aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Marc Márquez and Raúl Fernández have advanced to the second qualifying for the MotoGP Japanese GP. They were the fastest riders in Saturday’s Q1 session at Motegi, while four factory riders failed to progress.

After the first flying laps, the leading riders were Márquez (Repsol Honda) and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha), with Augusto Fernández (GasGas Tech3/KTM) in third, 0.372 seconds behind the top two.

The situation remained the same after their second attempts, but after the usual pit stops, Raúl Fernández (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team/Aprilia) moved into second place and displaced Quartararo from the qualification zone.

By the end of the session, Márquez and Raúl Fernández secured the top two positions and advancement to Q2. Augusto Fernández improved his lap time but finished in third place, just 80 milliseconds away from the qualifying cutoff.

Four factory riders failed to make it through to Q2: Quartararo, Joan Mir (Repsol Honda), Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha), and Michele Pirro (Ducati), who finished 11th and last.

Results:

O conteúdo Marc Márquez and Raúl Fernández qualified for the MotoGP Q2 at Motegi aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Owner of yesterday’s tenth place in the MotoGP race in India, Raul Fernandez is increasingly comfortable at the helm of the Aprilia RS-GP and believes that it can be a means for the manufacturer to grow even further, while he himself believes that he is now approaching his real level.

The CryptoDATA RNF rider began by commenting on his weekend in Buddh: ‘Overall I’m happy with the weekend, but the race was very difficult. At turn 1 a rider came on strong and I had to go wide and lost six positions and today in MotoGP it’s very difficult to overtake’.

The #25 then asked for some extra work from the manufacturer, explaining that there are points where there is room for improvement: ‘Also, in some aspects we have to improve the bike, on the straight we fall behind and I don’t understand why I can’t follow the others, in the first moments we lost a lot of metres to them and then we couldn’t attack them. Basically I’m happy because I can ride the way I want to, but we need more help from Aprilia’.

And he looked at himself individually and how he believes he can be an asset to the Noale team: ‘Now we’re at a very competitive level and I think I can also help Aprilia to raise the level, they can help me and now it’s time, I think, to work for the future. Honestly I’m happy, I understand the bike and I can do what I want. My weekend was very consistent, always inside the top ten’.

He concluded: ‘At Silverstone we took a step forward and now I can say that my maximum level is coming and that makes me happy, but it’s not enough: I always want more. It’s good but Aprilia wants more, but at the moment we have to try to raise the level together’.

O conteúdo Raul Fernandez excited about future at Aprilia «offers» himself to help developing: ‘I feel my maximum level is coming; I always want more’ aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Raul Fernandez surprised everyone in Q1 at Buddh and set the fastest time in the session to secure his passage to Q2, with Alex Marquez joining the spaniard.

At the end of the first two laps it was Di Giannantonio leading, with Brad Binder in second, but it was the south african who improved straight away to take the lead of the session by 0.238s over Raul Fernandez, now second.

With four laps and the session halfway over, all the riders were in their teams’ garage. Binder and Fernandez were leading, with Franco Morbidelli third and Augusto Fernandez fourth, ahead of Alex Marquez.

Two minutes later, it was now or never, and for the time being it was R. Fernandez who shone, with a lap that earned him first place, with A. Marquez in second.

Shortly afterwards, A. Marquez crashed when Binder was about to start Q2, but the lap was cancelled.

In the end, it was Fernandez who held on to first place, as did Álex Márquez.

However, the Spaniard was visibly uncomfortable and in pain, so it remained to be seen whether he would be in Q2.

O conteúdo Raul Fernandez shines and moves on to Q2 with Alex Marquez aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Raul Fernández finished the Sprint race in 11th place ahead of his teammate, Miguel Oliveira, who finished in 12th place.

Asked what happened during the day and in the Sprint race, Raul was satisfied and comfortable, although he had hoped for a better result in qualifying and in the race. “During qualifying I only had one bike after the crash and it wasn’t ideal. I feel I have the pace and during the race it was fun, every day I feel more comfortable and I can finally use my riding style on the bike. The problem in the Sprint was that I made a mistake with Fabio (Quartararo) and had to recover four positions, but in any case I felt that I’m competitive for tomorrow and my riding style is becoming more and more compatible with the bike’.

One of the most important aspects of the last few races that has made a difference is the start. Raul Fernández revealed that he is happy with Aprilia’s efforts to improve this aspect and that he feels lucky to be part of the Italian team: “I’ve said this more than once, I feel lucky because Aprilia is trying to improve this aspect race by race. We’re working well and I didn’t lose so many positions at the start, I only lost four positions because of the mistake I made.

O conteúdo ‘I haven’t lost so many positions at the start’ – Raul Fernández aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

The San Marino Grand Prix started off in hot conditions today and very well for Raul Fernandez, who managed to secure his first direct Q2 entry in the timed Practice today. This result already guarantees him the best starting position so far with the CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team as he will definitively be in the first four rows. Meanwhile, Miguel Oliveira struggled on Friday to find a good feeling.

Fernandez started the day with the fifth fastest time in the first Free Practice this morning, feeling at ease straight away. In this afternoon’s session temperatures rised even further, yet he managed to improve his lap time from the morning session by 0.691 seconds. Even a small crash in the final three minutes couldn’t stop him, so he got his best Friday result to date.

“Honestly, I’m really happy because we were always close to going into Q2 directly, and today we managed to get it. But it was still difficult. I did the first run with new tyres and then I saw the yellow flag again and we needed to close the gas. On the second try, I arrived on the last part of the third sector and saw that everyone was in the middle, I tried not to lose a lot of time but unfortunately I crashed.”

“ In the end, I’m happy, I had a good pace all day and that is really important for tomorrow. Getting that Q2 is positive for the mind and for the work we have to do tomorrow during FP3. My team and I have been working really well in the last three, four races, we just needed to improve on the fast lap and the lap with new tyre, and today we improved on that. In the end I think the pace is there and that’s a good thing.”

O conteúdo ‘We were always close to going into Q2 directly, and today we managed to get it’ – Raul Fernandez aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

A Aprilia fez progressos claros no MotoGP nos últimos anos, estando agora a lutar pelas posições cimeiras. Aleix Espargaró e Maverick Viñales têm contrato até ao fim de 2024, assim como os pilotos da equipa satélite, Miguel Oliveira e Raúl Fernández. E o futuro é planeado com este quarteto, mesmo no caso de ficarem disponíveis no mercado pilotos como Fabio Quartararo e Marc Márquez.

Numa entrevista ao site GPOne, o diretor técnico da Aprilia, Romano Albesiano, foi questionado sobre se o construtor está pronto para um destes dois pilotos. Na resposta, deixou claro que não há intenções de os contratar: ‘Penso que a moto está madura e a equipa também. Mas não está nos nossos planos a curto prazo. Temos quatro pilotos que são fantásticos, melhorámos juntos com o Aleix, ele melhorou em maturidade, capacidade de trabalhar com a equipa, fazendo os pedidos certos. Na minha opinião, isto dá a ideia de quanto um piloto pode evoluir. Por exemplo, se eu aplicar esta evolução ao Maverick, que já está em níveis muito altos, e talvez melhore em alguns aspetos como a consistência ou algo mais, penso que estamos a falar de um piloto com um potencial de loucos’.

Também os pilotos da equipa satélite CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team entusiasmam o italiano: ‘O Oliveira é um piloto maravilhoso. Não sei onde ele estaria sem o azar que teve até hoje, ele fez um começo fantástico. Assim que existe uma hipótese ele está na frente. Depois ele tem uma inteligência, uma abordagem, que são maravilhosas. Depois também adoro o Raúl Fernández, porque penso que ele tem um enorme talento e só precisa de apoio, tranquilidade, uma empresa que acredite nele e nós somos essa empresa. Dar-lhe-emos muito tempo para crescer e mostrar a valia dele, que acreditamos que é muito alta’.

Neste contexto, Albesiano nega que Márquez e Quartararo sejam pilotos necessários na Aprilia: ‘Se o Márquez estiver livre ou se o Quartararo estiver livre, não diria que precisemos deles em particular’.

O conteúdo Aprilia sem planos para ter Fabio Quartararo ou Marc Márquez aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.