For the RNF team manager, the young driver has everything to do well and aim for the top of the category
February 15, 2023
After very difficult debut year in MotoGP con KTM Raul Fernandez, born in 2000, has another chance to do well. Aprilia gave it to him and engaged him in the satellite team.
“I am back to having fun for the first time since 2021. Our job now is to try to do it by believing in me and in the team, because after a complex year, it’s not obvious to have these feelings again” said Fernandez after the Sepang tests.
In Malaysia the Spaniard obtained the 11th time overall, lapping in 1:58.710, just over half a second behind the best Aprilia, that of Maverick Vinales.
In a troubled year for him and partner Remy Gardner the feeling with the RC16 never arrived. Then the move to Aprilia with the first tests in Valencia, after the last GP of the year: “It was really difficult, I was in a lot of pain” explained Fernandez.
Raul is one of seven pilots who will participate in this championship below, another of the interesting aspects of this 2023.
Returning to Aprilia, after Valencia things went better for Fernandez at Sepang: “The first ten laps were difficult, but in the end I’m really happy, I feel at home, I’m at ease. Aprilia gives us good support”.
The team manager is also very optimistic Wilco Zeelenberg: “He’s never lost his talent, even if he clearly struggled last year”.
Zeelenberg then drew a parallel between Raul and Fabio Quartararo. In fact, the Frenchman, before moving to the Iwata factory team, raced with the Petronas M1s with Zeelenberg: “When we put him on a MotoGP bike and he felt at ease with his technical chief, with the team and all the the rest, in its time, grew up and finally won a title. That’s what we aspire to with our riders.”
