That’s where he’s losing time! Where Raul Fernandez (2nd) can still improve

Raúl Fernández’s upward trajectory continues even after the summer break. After finishing fourth in the first free practice session, the Spaniard secured second place on his Aprilia in the decisive qualifying session on Friday afternoon. With a time of 1:56.615, he was three tenths of a second off the day’s fastest time set by his team-mate Marco Bezzecchi. However, it was enough to put him among the riders who managed to break the old Silverstone lap record.

There was a sense of relief in his voice: “Before getting on the bike, I was always wondering whether I’d get that feeling back – but I felt at ease on the bike straight away,” said Fernández during the media session. He also attributes his calmness to his future, having been confirmed as a Trackhouse rider until 2028: “I feel relaxed; I’m riding with more composure because my future is sorted for the next two years.”

Fernandez sets his sights higher for the Silverstone GP

He did have a few concerns about the tyres. He noted that the soft Michelin rear tyre was behaving differently to previous years, which is why his team had to do a lot of work to understand it. However, that’s no cause for panic: “Almost everything is under control now; I feel comfortable with both the soft and the medium rear tyres,” analysed the Spaniard. He left open which compound would be used in the Sprint, saying that more data would need to be collected to reach a decision later on Saturday.

The focus is now on finding time in the third sector, where he is three tenths behind Marco Bezzecchi. He was also able to provide details on the corner causing him problems: “It’s Turn 15, where I feel I’m not quite on the right line.” The goal for Silverstone, however, is clear. “We’re at the point where we want to be fighting for podium places. And if we want that, we need to improve the final sector.”

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MotoGP World Championship

08.08.2026 - 10:35