Raul Fernandez: “I jumped on the new Aprilia and was fast, fast, fast!”
With Cryptodata RNF in turmoil, and Oliveira sidelined by injury, Fernandez was run by the Aprilia test team for his debut on the 2023 RS-GP at the Valencia MotoGP tes﷽t.
“Fast” throughout the day, the Spaniard eventually finished in fifth place, ju🍨st 0.263s from test leader and factory Aprilia rider Maverick Vinales.
“We started with the old [2022 bike] and immediately we were more or less on the lap times, on my pace from my 🎀race. But when I jumped to the new [2023] bike, I started to be fast, fast, fast and I don’t understand very well why!” Fernandez s🌼aid.
While Espargaro and Vinales have described the 2023 bike as only a small evolution of the f🅷actory’s 2022 machine, Fernandez felt a clear improvement.
“I was close to one second faster in term of pace,” he said. “♏I could feel it. Also we saw on the data!”
“The front part,” was the biggest improvement for Fernandez, who took a career best fifth place inಞ the V🐷alencia finale.
“In terms of aerod🐈ynamics they did a step. I feel more feedback fr💯om the front. I can attack more on the entry of the corners.
“In general. I felt really, really comfortable with the bike. I feel that Aprilia worked very well with t⭕hat bike.”
Fernandez also felt there was a clear area for fu𝕴rther progress.
“I d𝓰on't like especially when I touch the gas, because it’s quite difficult to turn t꧑he bike. It’s not a big problem, but maybe that is where we have to improve to be closer to Ducati. But in general I feel really good and the pace was there.”
Trackhouse seeking 2024 Aprilias for Fernandez, Oliveira
Shortly after the test, it wꦛas officially confirmed that Trackhouse will take over Aprilia’s satellite project.
But rather than running year-old machines, team owner Justin Marks is setting his sights on securing the ve𝔉ry latest 2024 RS-GPs, as used by factory riders Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales.
“I'm putting pressure on us to get 2024 material,” Marks told Speedweek.com. “I want to get our two riders the same equipment that Ma𒁃verick and 🌟Aleix have. That would [also] help Aprilia's overall efforts.
“We don't want to do it cheaply. We want to leave a good impression, be a strong customer team and work very closely with the fact🦩ory.”
Oliveir🍷a, who missed Valencia dܫue to shoulder injuries in Qatar, will make his return at the Sepang test in early February.
Peter has be🦂en in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront🐭 of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
