– Raul Fernandez’s MotoGP future was long in doubt. When Ai Ogura decided to switch to the Yamaha factory team, Trackhouse boss Justin Marks fundamentally rethought the rider question.
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Marks spoke with several riders and explored various options. At the same time, Fernandez was able to impress on track. In Assen, he won the sprint and finished second in the Grand Prix behind Ogura.
This was followed by another podium finish at the Sachsenring with third place. Marks honored these achievements and extended Fernandez’s contract for two more years for 2027 and 2028.
“They were definitely a big factor,” Marks says on MotoGP.com about the recent successes. “Raul is, so to speak, a veteran, one of the first here at Trackhouse, and he has invested a lot of work over the years and trusted the team.”
“He has matured a lot, and such contracts simply take time. There was a period of uncertainty for him this year as to whether his contract would be extended. Then we started the discussions.”
“And during this uncertain time, he was able to block that out, go to the racetrack, and do his job. That shows resilience, maturity, and the right approach. He is simply a great member of this team.”
“He is developing really well as a rider right now, and I think great things are ahead for him in the future. That’s why it simply made perfect sense to stay with Trackhouse.”
Uncertain Phase Showed What Fernandez Is Made Of
Fernandez mastered the uncertain phase. He always emphasized that he would leave contract matters to his manager and focus exclusively on working with the team and riding.
“I was very curious to see how he would react,” Marks says about this phase. “We didn’t do it on purpose. We just knew there was a period where we couldn’t give him any answers.”
“We first had to clarify the future of our team, what would come after Ogura, and all these things. And then to see how he takes the stress and uncertainty and converts it into performance on the racetrack.”
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“That’s exactly what great riders have to do. Because if you want to win a championship at this level, stress and pressure will only increase. And you still have to keep performing.”
Fernandez Finds It Easier Now
Fernandez believes it was almost clear in Assen that he would stay with Trackhouse: “You can also see that I can ride more easily since Assen. In some races, I thought too much.”
“I tried not to do that, but I still did, and that didn’t help me. Since Assen, everything got better, but my future was also almost settled at that point.”
The 25-year-old nevertheless emphasizes that he had other “interesting” offers. But: “For me, it was easiest to continue with the same crew and stay with the same team.”
Before the race weekend in Silverstone, the contract extension was made official. Fernandez thanked the team with his second Grand Prix victory. As sixth in the championship, he is 56 points behind.
What is his goal for the rest of the season? “Enjoy. I want to enjoy it. Because before the contract was settled, I had something on my mind and couldn’t really enjoy the situation.”
“Now I can enjoy riding the bike more. We know we have a very good bike. You can see that the team is currently in a really good phase, and we will try to push until the end.”
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Meanwhile, Fernandez’s future teammate for the next two years has also been confirmed. Enea Bastianini comes from Tech3-KTM. With Marco Bezzecchi and Francesco Bagnaia in the factory team, three of the four Aprilia riders in the field will be Italian.
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