Team orders at Aprilia? Raul Fernandez plays down internal meeting

The MotoGP race at Phillip Island brings back fond memories for Raul Fernandez: last year, the Trackhouse Aprilia rider won the Australian Grand Prix. He now returns following a strong second-place finish at Mandalika. However, the Spaniard is not yet fully fit following his two finger fractures.

Fernandez sustained the injuries in a crash at the start of the Indonesian Sprint. The following day, he led the Grand Prix for much of the race and was only beaten by Marco Bezzecchi in the closing stages. Ahead of the weekend in Australia, he is therefore cautiously optimistic.

Finger injury: Fernández not at 100 per cent

“I’m not quite as fit as I was last year. But compared to Mandalika, it’s much better. It could be a good weekend for us. But I’m not at 100 per cent and need to manage the situation together with the team,” explained Fernández.

Last year’s winner has no doubts about taking part. The challenge lies rather in remaining competitive throughout the weekend and adapting to changing conditions. “I crashed on Saturday at Mandalika and raced on Sunday. So there’s no question that I’ll be racing here. There are lots of things we need to keep an eye on. That includes the weather. It can change at any moment here. We have to be prepared for that,” emphasised the Spaniard.

His victory last year and his strong performance in Indonesia make Fernández an interesting contender for the top spots. Nevertheless, he avoided setting any specific targets. As well as his injury, he points to two rivals who were absent from the last Australian Grand Prix.

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“I’m not thinking about possible placings. We have to take it day by day and see how my finger holds up. Martin and Marc (Márquez) weren’t here last year. That’s why it will be different this time. But if we have a chance, then of course we’ll give it a go,” announced Fernández.

Aprilia vs. Marc Márquez: Will Fernández help in the World Championship battle?

This also raises the question of how freely the Aprilia riders are allowed to race against each other in the final stages of the World Championship. At Mandalika, Fernandez finished second behind Bezzecchi, ahead of Jorge Martin. The highest-placed Aprilia rider in the championship had to settle for third place.

For Aprilia, the strength of the two Trackhouse riders, Fernandez and Ai Ogura, is an advantage: they can finish ahead of Martin’s title rival, Marc Marquez. At the same time, however, they can also take points away from Martin himself. It therefore stands to reason that the manufacturer would want to agree on guidelines for such situations in the final stages of the season.

There was a meeting at Aprilia on Thursday, although Fernández played down its significance. According to him, they had merely met for a coffee. He did not, therefore, confirm any specific team orders. Whether, and under what circumstances, Fernández would have to prioritise the manufacturer’s title ambitions over his own chances of victory remained unclear.