Marco Bezzecchi
Raul Fernandez has endured a difficult start to the 2025 MotoGP season. The Trackhouse rider was hopeful to make an impression on the factory Aprilia.
Fernandez was retained by the satellite Aprilia team for the 2025 season. The Spaniard struggled last year with 66 points and a best finish of sixth in Barcelona.
The 24-year-old was on the year-old RS-GP23 in 2024. Making the jump two specs this season is a difficult task – and that has proved to be the case for Fernandez.
Like last season, the Trackhouse rider suffered a crash in pre-season testing in Sepang. Fernandez was forced to miss the rest of the test with fractures to his left hand and foot.
Fernandez called the crash ‘one of the worst’ of his career – it was one he could afford to have given the opportunity he was afforded by Aprilia chief Massimo Rivola.
Since returning from injury, the 24-year-old has struggled to find form. Rivola will not be impressed given the performances put in on the other side of the garage.
Massimo Rivola will be scratching his head over Raul Fernandez’s ‘strange’ form at Trackhouse
Rivola is said to be an admirer of Fernandez. It explains why the Spaniard was kept over Miguel Oliveira for 2025 – despite the Portuguese rider outscoring his teammate last season.
This year, the Spaniard is partnered with Moto2 champion Ai Ogura. Given his experience, Fernandez would perhaps be expected to beat his rookie teammate – but that has not transpired so far in 2025.
At the Thailand Grand Prix, the Japanese rider stunned the field by finishing fourth in the Sprint and fifth in the main race. Marc Marquez congratulated Ogura after the race as he battled hard with his Ducati teammate Francesco Bagnaia.
READ MORE: Everything to know about Raul Fernandez from net worth to career stats
Meanwhile, Fernandez retired with an overheating front tyre. In free practice at the Argentina Grand Prix, the 24-year-old could only manage 20th while Ogura just missed out on a spot in Q1 with 11.
The rookie was almost a second quicker than his teammate. Speaking on TNT Sports, Neil Hodgson was baffled by Fernandez’s ‘strange’ form – Rivola must be thinking the same given the performance of Ogura.
“What’s going on with Raul Fernandez? 20th fastest, I mean he’s nearly a second slower than his rookie teammate,” he said. “Strange isn’t it? Just no form at all.”
Raul Fernandez must up his game to beat Ai Ogura at Trackhouse
Recovering from an injury over pre-season will have hampered Fernandez’s preparations. But Ogura’s performances in MotoGP already is alarming.
Davide Brivio has warned ‘diamond’ Ogura that he will have ‘bad races’ in 2025. The Japanese rider has admitted he has found it difficult to adapt to the brakes in the premier class.
Ogura is also battling a language barrier at Trackhouse which will limit his technical feedback. That makes his display in Buriram all the more impressive.
The 24-year-old has proven he can potentially fight for podiums on the RS-GP25. Fernandez’s struggles from 2024 seem to have carried into 2025 – and he will have to work hard to find consistency and get the edge over his teammate.
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