Raul Fernandez makes ‘astonishing’ admission about MotoGP testing crash, ‘one of the worst’ of his career

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Raul Fernandez is back in action for Trackhouse at the Buriram Test this week. Fernandez has made a swift return from a serious accident in Sepang last time out.

Fernandez was one of three riders who went down on a brutal first day in Malaysia. World champion Jorge Martin was the headline casualty, but VR46’s Fabio di Giannantonio also injured himself performing a wheelie only months after undergoing shoulder surgery.

Martin hopes to return for the Thailand Grand Prix after sustaining fractures in his right hand and left foot. Like Di Giannantonio, who broke his collarbone, he’s had to skip the Buriram test.

That will put them at a disadvantage at the start of the season, with their rivals likely to be much more comfortable on new bikes. Fernandez missed two full days of track time last week but has been cleared to ride on Wednesday.

The Spaniard flew back to Europe for an operation on one of his fingers. While he also injured his foot, that didn’t require any surgical intervention.

Fernandez is preparing for his second season with Trackhouse and his fourth in the premier class overall. While he started out at KTM satellite squad Tech3, he’s ridden solely for Aprilia since.

Raul Fernandez doesn’t want to ‘say much’ about his MotoGP testing crash

Fernandez’s crash wasn’t picked up by the MotoGP cameras in Sepang. However, fan footage shows him falling from the saddle as he approached the braking zone for turn nine, the slowest corner on the circuit.

Speaking to outlets including GPOne, he revealed he was travelling 200kph, or 124mph, at the time of the accident. He was tumbling for more than a hundred metres before he came to a stop in the gravel.

Fernandez says he has a limited memory of the accident, and considers himself ‘lucky’. He may need time before he’s completely recovered.

“It was an astonishing fall,” he said. “I can’t and don’t want to say much. It was one of the worst in my whole career. I was going at about 200kph.

“I was lucky. I remember I was on the bike, and a few seconds later, on the ground. That was it.”

Massimo Rivola may privately be thinking one thing about Raul Fernandez

In his absence, Ai Ogura took on greater responsibility in Sepang. Trackhouse are already loving working with Ogura, even though he’s intensely self-critical.

Fernandez knows his reputation will suffer if he loses out to the Japanese rider this season. Ogura is the Moto2 champion but there’s a clear gulf in experience if not talent.

One journalist suspects that Massimo Rivola already regrets Miguel Oliveira’s departure. Oliveira is riding for new Yamaha partners Pramac this season.

While Rivola may have his doubts, he’ll be relieved to see Rivola back for Buriram. Aprilia were arguably in the weakest position of all five teams after the test first, having lost half their line-up.