As is often the case, drivers crossing the finish line beyond 10th place go under the radar. However, before the start of the season, we kept a close eye on Augusto Fernández. And we are not disappointed: the Spaniard made a very good start. Analysis in several points.
I) The right pilot
What should a rookie do who has just arrived on a team in difficulty? Learn, and if possible, not fall or fall. Confidence must come little by little, without taking risks. Already in Moto2, Augusto was rather cerebral (remember his gem at Silverstone last year), not the explosive type even if he sometimes didn't finish the races.
Already assured of being rookie of the year, he arrived in a particularly unfavorable environment. Tech3
had experienced a tortuous 2022 season, and both drivers had to find alternatives. Everyone agrees that it is not so easy to continue within the KTM fold
even if we have already devoted an entire analysis to it.
So, it would have been easy to do too much, to want to prove, especially since Sprints can encourage young drivers to exceed their limits without risking losing too many points in the general classification. But it's nothing. Augusto Fernández is fair, avoids pitfalls and understands his environment.
Photo: Michelin Motorsport
Let us add that in the absence of Pol Espargaro, he doesn't really have a veteran to trust for the settings or more broadly still, for the adaptation to the world of Grand Prizes. The reigning Moto2 world champion is all alone but does an excellent job.
II) Already better than its predecessors?
After the 2022 Valencia Grand Prix, we analyzed his profile in detail because we have been talking to you about this driver since 2019.
In this article, we specified that in our opinion, Augusto was better than Raúl Fernández and Remy Gardner.
We will have to wait a few years before having a definitive opinion on the matter, but as incredible as it may seem, Augusto has already scored as many points in three races
(14) than Raúl over the whole of last season, and already more than Gardner (13).
Yes, it is true that some drivers were missing but that is also the game. In an elimination race like in Austin, he knew not to get carried away and stay on his wheels to get his first top 10, a ranking that neither Raúl Fernández ni Remy gardner achieved last season. For a rookie, in this team and in this context, it is perfectly commendable. Let's just point out that Sprints have no impact in the comparison because Augusto has not yet scored any points during this exercise.
If GasGas is not worse than its equivalent in 2022, it does not seem much better either. KTM generally failed its winter tests and has not yet found its place in the hierarchy. So yes, this Fernández is one to watch very closely.
Photo: Michelin Motorsport
III) What to expect?
It is still too early to say anything, but the European tour is just around the corner. It will absolutely be necessary for him to continue like this, and not to allow himself to be carried away by confidence on routes which have been successful for him in the past (we are thinking of Assen, Catalunya ou
Silverstone).
If he keeps his head on his shoulders and doesn't see himself too big (which he's doing so far), then we could be in for a very nice surprise at the end of the season. This does not mean that he should not attack, because current drivers must understand that it is possible to crash several times a year without risking much in the general classification, apart, of course, from a nasty injury.
In any case, we congratulate him again for his fine journey and his accurate approach.
What do you think of his start to the season? Did he convince you? Tell us in the comments!
Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport
