Raul Fernandez's career has seriously accelerated over the past two years, years when he was first vice-world champion of Moto3, 15 lengths behind the titled Albert Arenas. Then, he got comfortable in Moto2 from the start with eight victories and twelve podiums which nevertheless only gave him the self-proclaimed title of moral winner against his teammate, he, well and truly crowned, Remy Gardner. Without a scepter, he is now a subject of the MotoGP kingdom. But it's not a defect. Ask Casey Stoner and Fabio Quartararo…
It is precisely these references that the now pilot highlights Tech3 KTM about his new status among the elite: “ we must look at the example of Fabio Quartararo » he notes especially on Motorsport.com. " Seeing his career in other categories, without having won anything, many thought he was crazy to arrive in MotoGP, but today he is world champion and everyone encourages him. Ultimately you are guided by what you feel and the reason my whole staff, my team, KTM and I decided to be here is because we all believed that this was the place to be.the best opportunity for my sporting career and my future ».
On the conviction side, we will still remember the episode of the agreement with KTM, which had above all revealed the desire to Raul fernandez to join the ranks of Yamaha, even if it means doing one more year in Moto2… But all this is in the past. Even if a residue of the 2021 season still undermines the spirit of the pilot of 21 years : " the first objective will be to fight with Rémy Gardner and to prove, or at least to see, who is the best in the same conditions. This year he was fighting with an advantage, namely the experience of having raced six seasons in Moto2, which I lacked. But we fought all year until the last corner of the last race.”
Raul Fernandez is definitely not letting go of Remy Gardner
« I think that will be my main goal: to overtake my teammate and also the driver with whom I fought for the championship until the last race. Gardner will be my main rival and my first target », declares the new rider of the KTM Tech3 team who will also have to evaluate himself against the other beginners as his Darryn binder on a Yamaha, then Fabio DiGiannantonio et Marco Bezzecchi on formidable Ducatis.
All the same, there remains this raw satisfaction of having arrived where he had always dreamed of being: “ when the list of drivers for 2022 was published a few days ago and I saw myself with names like Marc Marquez, Maverick Viñales, Aleix or Pol Espargaró, I didn't believe it. It's a very beautiful thing. I have to assimilate it and live it, but above all prepare myself very well. Everything I've done this year has been focused on racing Moto2. I have not yet prepared myself physically or psychologically to race in MotoGP next year " recognize Raul fernandez who will undoubtedly be a different animal when he returns to his RC16 at Sepang at the end of January for the return to the MotoGP track.
