Raul Fernandez finished the session ranked 13th, having had to compete in the first qualifying session (Q1). He reviewed the technical issues he experienced after the first day at Motegi and his performance. Due to the failure of his teammate Ai Ogura's motorcycle to cause a red flag, Fernandez stated that he lost brake stability during the fast laps.
Performance Assessments
Raul Fernandez made his assessments regarding the main practice session:
To be honest, I am more satisfied with our overall performance than anything else.
Before coming here, the most critical point for us was how to demonstrate speed, and I feel much more comfortable in that area.
We did a very good job throughout the day; we had to analyze two different rear tires, and since we only had five of the front tires we normally use, we had to manage the process very well.
Critical Issues and Solutions
Fernandez stated that the planning was correct, but the main issue was the problem he experienced with the brakes during the competitive fast laps. He expressed that he was not consistent with braking and had to go outside the track frequently in the corners.
We did the planning correctly, but the main problem was the issue I experienced with the brakes during the competitive fast laps. I was not consistent with braking, and I had to go outside the track frequently in the corners.
Engineering Support
The young driver emphasized that the engineers put in intense effort to improve performance and expressed his belief that they would find a solution. Fernandez made the following statements regarding the day's results:
We were all right to qualify for Q2 today, so I am a little angry.
However, he said he did not feel comfortable with the brakes but believed they were ready for tomorrow:
However, for some reason, I did not feel comfortable with the brakes. Nevertheless, I think we are ready for tomorrow; we understood the behavior of the rear tires, and all we have to do is extract the lap times we aim for by doing what we need to do.
Furthermore, Fernandez expressed his gratitude for the engineers' support:
I want to thank all our engineers because after I said I didn't feel comfortable with myself in FP1, they worked intensely between sessions and solved what was making me uncomfortable.
He mentioned that it is possible to gain two positions in the second practice and that what needs to be done is to identify the lack in braking and resolve this problem in the shortest time possible.
Figures
- Raul Fernandez is competing in 7th place with 205 points in the 2026 MotoGP season (Trackhouse Racing Team).
- Archive: Ai Ogura Race: High Expectations Lead to Failure (October 1, 2026)
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Go to sourceCompiled by Şükrü Utku Poyraz
