Things would have smoothed out a little and the situation cleared up between Raul Fernandez and KTM during this Austrian Grand Prix. The two parties met there. Without reconciling, they nevertheless gave themselves a chance to come out on top from a relationship in MotoGP which we will remember that the Spaniard never wanted. Last year, he spoke with Razlan Razali to consider what was then a Petronas Yamaha, which pushed Pit Beirer to play the option included in his contract. We know the rest and the irony of fate which is that KTM's conviction that we cannot force a rider who does not want to stay has been perfectly verified.
That being said, separation is complicated. Pit Beirer revealed that this situation has been going on since Jerez, step where Raul fernandez indicated that he wished to leave the fold KTM. Including act, but on condition of paying one million euros, the contractual price of the early release. Enough to discourage prospective hires because the vice-world champion has not yet convinced him that he is worth it, far from it. Worse, at the Red Bull Ring, the big boss of the brand Stefan Pierer came out with a vitriolic criticism on the “disastrous” surroundings de Raul fernandez downright classified among the arrogant. There too, there is nothing to encourage vocations to offer him a handlebar…
Razlan Razali can hope to have Raul Fernandez but KTM puts on hold its hiring of Miguel Oliveira
Less than Razlan Razali is still on the move, with Aprilia RS-GP version 2022 on the menu, while Raul fernandez has had serious offers to return to Moto2 at Marc VDS and Pons Racing for next year, as well as considerations in World Superbikes. As it is no longer a question of MotoGP, there is, in these cases, no longer any question of this loss of one million euros. By assuming this course of action, KTM shows that it can make a driver's career just as much as destroy it, which is also a message for other drivers. Not necessarily encouraging...
We know whether this general aspect was taken into account at Mattighofen but the fact is that according to Todocircuito, Raul fernandez had a direct interview in Styria with Stefan pierer. The two parties would have agreed at the end of this to reduce by a third the amount that WithU Aprilia must pay for the services of the Spaniard, which opens the door for the rider to join the team with which he has always wanted to ride to be MotoGP, although in 2023 he will have to ride a Aprilia and not one Yamaha . Which, given the current fate of Dovizioso and Morbidely, should not disappoint him too much... We are therefore waiting for the sequel which should also identify his teammate. There too, KTM put in his two cents with a final attempt at seduction to keep a Miguel Oliveira who already had one foot in the box Razlan Razali...
