Raul Fernandez sets sights on Aragon glory amid fierce Spanish rivalry
Silverstone victor Raul Fernandez arrives at Aragon determined to extend his winning momentum on home soil.
The Trackhouse rider, who triumphed at Aragon during his sole campaign, believes the circuit’s anti-clockwise layout perfectly complements his riding style.
“Aragon is special for me,” Fernandez reflected. “I have some really good memories from Moto2. Five days before jumping on the bike, I was having surgery, and then I got the victory, so I have a really good memory. It’s a track that I enjoy a lot.” The Spanish rider elaborated on the track’s unique characteristics: “The different thing of this track compared to Jerez and Montmeló is that there are more left corners; the other tracks are more right. This means it helps my riding style to have more left corners.”
Despite his confidence, Fernandez is acutely aware of the stiff competition he faces this weekend. He singled out three formidable Spanish rivals: “In Aragon, we know that Marc [Marquez] and Jorge [Martin] are super competitive, also Pedro [Acosta]. We have to go step-by-step, we need to work well because the level of the Spanish riders in Aragon is quite high.”
Marquez, a dominant force at Aragon, boasts seven wins at the venue and has claimed the last four races-including sprints-for Ducati. Meanwhile, Aprilia’s leads the world standings, and KTM’s Pedro Acosta was the top non-Ducati finisher at Aragon last season, placing fourth.
Fernandez also acknowledged the challenges Aprilia faces at the circuit: “We know it’s not the best track for Aprilia, it will be… not difficult, but we know that we have to work more. The key is to prepare well the back straight, the main straight and be confident with the front part of the bike.”
Currently sixth in the , Fernandez trails Martin by 56 points but remains resolute. With a blend of past success, technical insight, and determination, the Spaniard is poised to battle fiercely against an elite group of compatriots on a track where every corner counts.