Raul Fernandez expressed relief after finishing the 2026 Sepang MotoGP test healthy and exhausted, overcoming injuries that had sidelined him during the last two years at the same event. The Trackhouse Aprilia rider, who unexpectedly won the 2025 season, ended the three-day test in Malaysia in tenth place, 0.843 seconds behind the fastest rider, Alex Marquez of Gresini Ducati.
Positive Progress on Aerodynamics Ahead of Thailand Round
Fernandez highlighted the importance of this test due to developments in the aerodynamic package, stressing the need to finalize decisions before the Thailand race since no further aero homologations will be allowed.
“After two years, when I didn’t finish the first day, now I feel good to end the test feeling destroyed after three days,”
Fernandez said.
“It was a very important test because of the aerodynamic package, we have to be convinced about what we want before Thailand, because we will not have time to homologate another aero package.”
He added,
“So about this I am really happy, because we decided on something that I like.”
Challenges Remain with Soft Tire Performance
Despite progress, Fernandez acknowledged ongoing difficulties with the RS-GP’s handling, particularly under time attack conditions using the soft tire.
“I have some things that still I don’t feel very comfortable on the bike with, so it means that we still have a lot of work to do,”
he admitted.
“The worst part is the time attack, especially when we want to use the soft tyre to make a faster lap, I can’t do it. I can’t use well my riding style at this moment when there is maximum grip.”
He emphasized the next test in Thailand as critical for improvement:
“So this is the work that we have to do now in Thailand, try to understand how we can take more potential with the soft tyre.”
Learning from Teammate Bezzecchi’s Strong Performance
Fernandez and his Trackhouse team have a valuable point of reference in factory rider Marco Bezzecchi, who led the test timesheets on the final afternoon and finished second overall to Marquez.
“I think Aprilia made a really good job, and the bike is competitive again. As you see with Marco in the time attack, he was super fast,”
Fernandez noted.
He also pointed out the importance of understanding Bezzecchi’s improvements:
“We need to know what they made during the test to try to improve in the time attack, because I think if we improve the time attack, the race pace is always there.”
Fernandez’s team-mate Ai Ogura ranked twelfth fastest during the test sessions.
Looking Ahead After an Intense Sepang Test
Completing the Sepang test safely marks a significant step forward for Fernandez after previous years of injury setbacks, allowing him to focus on refining areas still challenging him. His team’s efforts to enhance soft tire performance and time attack speed will be crucial as they prepare for the upcoming races, including the Thailand Grand Prix. Lessons drawn from Bezzecchi’s pace set an encouraging path for progress, potentially boosting Fernandez’s competitiveness throughout the season.
