After a turbulent start to his 2025 campaign, Raúl Fernández delivered a much-needed response at Le Mans — silencing some critics and reigniting the talent that once made him one of the most talked-about young riders in MotoGP. With just 15 points and sitting 18th in the championship standings, questions about his future had grown louder. But the Spaniard’s performance at the French Grand Prix weekend may have offered a glimpse of what’s still possible.
A Struggling Start to 2025
There’s no sugarcoating it: the early part of Fernández’s 2025 season was disappointing. With just six points across the first five rounds, many wondered if the 24-year-old was running out of time in MotoGP’s premier class. Rumors of ultimatums began to swirl — whispers that the Trackhouse Aprilia team had set internal benchmarks he needed to hit or face consequences.
But according to Trackhouse team manager Davide Brivio, the Spaniard’s seat is not in jeopardy. “Raúl has a contract and we will absolutely respect that,” Brivio told the media. “There are no dates or ultimatums, but it’s clear that Raúl needs to react – and he needs to do it for himself.”
That self-awareness wasn’t lost on Fernández. While speaking to reporters ahead of the French Grand Prix, he admitted he understood the pressure but refused to let it define his approach: “I’m not thinking about a timeframe. I don’t want to live in a situation like that,” he said. “I have a very good team and a very good factory. But I need to be happy too.”
A Flash of the Old Raúl at Le Mans
Le Mans became the setting for Fernández’s first meaningful statement of the season. He scored nine points across the weekend — his best showing of 2025 so far. A 10th-place finish in the sprint and a 7th-place result in the main race were enough to turn some heads and give his doubters pause.
Yes, the wet and chaotic conditions of the French GP might have helped level the playing field, but Fernández still had to keep it upright, smart, and fast — which he did. In fact, it was the kind of performance that hinted at the once-glowing promise of his 2021 Moto2 season, when he won eight races and scored 12 podiums in a title fight that went down to the wire against teammate Remy Gardner.
“I want to wipe the slate clean,” Fernández said of his mindset heading into the weekend. “There was a good change during the Jerez test and I want to confirm it.” Whether or not this was the true turning point, it was enough to shift the conversation.
Mental Clarity Over Contractual Pressure
Despite the media speculation, Raúl Fernández has been vocal about what truly drives him: not contracts, not money — but joy.
“With all due respect, I don’t race just for money – I race because it makes me happy,” he said. “It’s something I’ve done since I was five years old, and I’ve worked my way up to MotoGP.”
The emotional and mental side of racing often goes overlooked, but Fernández’s remarks remind us that this sport demands more than just physical performance. His chemistry with Trackhouse team manager Davide Brivio has also become a key emotional anchor for the rider. “That’s what I also communicated to him: that I’m not here to race for money. [Money] is a consequence. I come here to enjoy myself and the first thing I need is to be happy.”
Fernández also hinted at the toll of back-to-back pre-season injuries, which left him playing catch-up before the first lights went out in 2025. “It’s a pity that two years in a row I have been injured in the pre-season and we have not been able to create a base [set-up],” he admitted. “This year we have not been able to build. Now we’ve had a test — let’s see if we can grow from there.”
Building a New Foundation with Trackhouse Aprilia
Trackhouse is new to MotoGP, and Raúl Fernández remains one of its cornerstone riders. The North Carolina-based outfit, which transitioned into MotoGP after success in NASCAR and American motorsports, has so far supported Fernández through the lows — even amid pressure from within the Aprilia camp.
Unlike factory teams, independent outfits like Trackhouse walk a delicate line between competitiveness and development. That reality has placed added importance on weekends like Le Mans, where Fernández showed glimpses of what this partnership can still become.
To his credit, Fernández hasn’t blamed the team or the machinery. “It’s not that the team isn’t helping, or Aprilia isn’t helping, but the circumstances haven’t been right,” he said candidly. But with the Jerez test yielding positive feedback and Le Mans offering the first proof of progress, the groundwork may finally be laid for a stronger second half of the season.
