With 9 retirements including 8 crashes during the 20 laps of the race, the MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas in Austin, third round of the 2023 campaign, was certainly one of those competitions where you had to stay on your bike. This is what he did Augusto Fernandez by continuing his rookie strategy: Score points each weekend…
After scoring 3 points in Portugal then 5 in Argentina, the beginner of the GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 team then showed up in Texas to face the formidable COTA, with its heterogeneous layout and its bumpy track and in places not very grippy.
Friday was about learning, adapting and analyzing for the Madrilenian who was getting his first taste of American rodeo. The track being much more physically demanding on a MotoGP machine, the Spaniard had trained hard the previous week to arrive in Texas in the best possible shape. In the morning, he was one of the drivers who completed the most laps, and drove a time of 2'05.732. In the afternoon session, despite a fall, he made good progress and improved his lap time to 2'04.561, which placed him in twenty-first place in the combined standings.
« This circuit is difficult with a MotoGP, but we progressed step by step and we improved throughout the day. We made big progress in the first half of the second practice session, and I got closer to the other drivers. Unfortunately, I crashed on my first attack lap, which was a real shame. By the time I got back to the stand and changed leathers, I didn't have much time left. We will continue working tomorrow. »
Saturday began with thirty minutes of free practice, which allowed the final adjustments to be made before the first highlights of the weekend. In Q1 filled with big names, the rookie Augusto Fernandez achieved his fastest lap in 2'03.978, which allowed him to take twentieth place on the starting grid.
The Sprint took place with a thermometer indicating 30° in the air and 45° on the track. Starting from P20, the Tech3 driver retained his position at the start of the race, before winning two when fabio quartararo fell at the front. On the 7th lap, he gained another position by overtaking Fabio Di Giannantonio, just before setting his best lap in the race in 2'05.143. He finished sixteenth, as in the Sprint in Argentina.
« The ten laps of the Sprint were difficult today. I'm having a difficult weekend here in Austin because I don't feel very comfortable compared to the first two races. We are working on it and I think we have made positive steps in the Sprint by experiencing ten laps in a row in race pace mode. We can do better tomorrow in the long run, so I'm looking forward to the main race. »
Sunday morning's ten-minute warm-up session was a good opportunity to build confidence for the race.
After finishing 16th in the Tissot Sprint on Saturday, debutant Augusto Fernández was eager to test himself at the Circuit of the Americas. Starting from 20th place like the day before, he got off to a good start and quickly found himself in sixteenth position after a few falls at the start of the race. On the third lap, he set his fastest lap of the race in 2'04.402. With the heat and a track at 41°, tire management was not easy and it was not an exception for the rookie who struggled with his front tire. Amidst the chaos and crashes, Augusto remained calm and focused on his pace, more competitive than he had been throughout the weekend. He ultimately took the checkered flag in tenth position, making his first Top 10 entry in MotoGP, scoring an additional 6 points, bringing his total to 14 and placing him in 15th position overall.
« It was a difficult race, but I'm happy because we took a good step forward again today. We struggled a lot throughout the weekend, but we stayed on our wheels and finished the race despite all the crashes. The feeling on the bike was better, my pace was more competitive, so I leave Austin happy and optimistic for the future. »
Nicolas Goyon, Team Manager: “ It's a good result for the GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 team here in Texas, with both drivers in the points. They both managed to survive the chaos and get their motorcycles back to the garage in one piece.
Augusto Fernández rode a smart race and got his first Top 10 in MotoGP. Like most riders, he struggled a lot with his front tire, but he managed to keep a good pace and stay on his bike. He was very smart today, and I want to congratulate him on his performance.
Both drivers and the whole team did a great job, it was a good weekend for us here in Austin. We would also like to take this opportunity to mention that another independent driver won a Grand Prix this year, which shows the level of support the entire grid enjoys.
Now it's time to pack up everything and go home, before we start our European tour in Jerez in two weeks! »
Results of the MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin:
Classification credit: MotoGP.com
