From MotoGP’s problem child to winner: Trackhouse on Raul Fernandez’s transformation

For Trackhouse owner Justin Marks, the trip to the MotoGP weekend at Silverstone could hardly have gone better. The American was there when Raúl Fernández won the Grand Prix on his Aprilia, marking a special moment in the team’s still-young MotoGP history.

Yet just a few weeks earlier, Fernandez’s future at Trackhouse was by no means entirely clear. His team-mate, Ai Ogura, had already sealed his future months ago and agreed to a move to Yamaha. For Justin Marks, Ogura’s decision came as a surprise. Nevertheless, Trackhouse kept Fernandez in the lurch for a while, watching to see how the Spaniard would perform.

“We hadn’t expected Ai to make the decision he did at that point. So we started figuring out what our future would look like on this side of the pit. At the same time, Raul asked, ‘Hey, where’s my contract?’ So he had to be very patient.”

Despite an uncertain future: Raul Fernandez showed strength

Marks confirmed that there was a period of uncertainty for Fernandez. The Trackhouse boss was particularly impressed that this did not have a negative impact on his rider’s performance. “There was a period when he couldn’t be sure of his future. Yet, despite this uncertainty, he delivered. Then we signed the contract. Now he has security and a multi-year contract. We showed him our support – and he continued to deliver.”

It is precisely this that Marks now recognises as a special quality in his rider. “Regardless of what’s happening in the pits, in the hospitality area or at home, going out there and doing your job is what sets a great sportsman apart.”

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How Trackhouse turned Fernández into a MotoGP winner

Fernandez’s path in MotoGP was by no means straightforward. Following his successes in Moto2, the Spaniard initially struggled to consistently realise his potential in the premier class. Looking back, Marks sees this primarily as a matter of personal development. “When he had his Moto2 contract, he was winning races. Then he came here and for a couple of years the question was: will he make it? It’s simply a different pace of development,” said Marks, adding with a wink: “I think all along he was just waiting for Trackhouse.”

An important factor in Fernández’s development, Marks said, was the trust within the team. He also drew on his own past experience. The American was himself a professional racing driver for two decades and is therefore familiar with the psychological challenges of the sport.

“I know what these lads are going through. I know what it feels like to lose. I know what crashes feel like. I know what it feels like not to achieve the desired results on the track over a prolonged period. A lot of it is down to psychology,” emphasised the Trackhouse owner.

Trackhouse-Chef Justin Marks mit Raul Fernandez

Foto: Gold & Goose

In recent years, he has therefore tried above all to offer Fernandez support. “My communication with Raul was very much about supporting him: What do you need? What helps you? When he was struggling, it was about showing him: Don’t worry, it’s no big deal. We make mistakes, we crash, sometimes our performance isn’t up to scratch – but we’ll get there.”

This trust helped Fernandez to become more patient and to focus more on his actual work. “He began to feel: This is a team that cares about me. This team is investing in my future. This team believes I can achieve great things,” Marks explained. “That enabled him to say: ‘OK, I can be more patient. I can just concentrate on the work and try to improve step by step.’”

Justin Marks celebrated his first victory with his team

The fact that Marks was there in person during the Silverstone weekend, of all times, gave the success added significance. “It’s the first race where I was there in person and we won,” said the American happily.

For him, celebrating together with his team was almost more important than the sporting success itself. “The best bit is being with the whole team, celebrating with them and telling them how proud we are of them. Because this sport is all about people. It’s about people working together, working hard and forming a real team.”

Marks sees his own role as owner primarily as creating the conditions for success. “I see myself in the position of supporting them, backing them up, building them up and providing them with everything they need. Being here and being able to celebrate with them is something very special.”

Willkommen zum Rennen in Silverstone

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Marco Bezzecchi

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Fans

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Raúl Fernández

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Jorge Martin

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Start des Rennens

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Start des Rennens

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Alex Márquez und Pedro Acosta

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Jorge Martin

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Luca Marini

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Marc und Alex Márquez

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Raúl Fernández

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Pecco Bagnaia

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Marco Bezzecchi

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Marc Márquez und Fabio Di Giannantonio

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Moreira und Quartararo

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Raúl Fernández gewinnt das Rennen

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Silverstone-Sieger Raúl Fernández

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Martin, Fernández, Bezzecchi

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Sieger Raúl Fernández

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Willkommen zum Rennen in Silverstone

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