Oliveira 4th but first day with Aprilia ‘strange’, Fernandez ‘couldn’t sleep’

Miguel Oliveira finished the post-season Valencia MotoGP Test highest of all the riders that changed teams, even though the former KTM rider described it as a ‘strange day’.

Robert Jones

09 Nov 2022

Oliveira, who finished fifth in last Sunday’s MotoGP season-finale for KTM, made an immediate impression for his new team during the one-day test.

The two-time race winner in 2022 finished fourth, three tenths down on Luca Marini who topped the test.

But despite the impressive performance Oliveira said he and the team focused solely on adapting to the bike.

“It was a strange day,” concluded the Portuguese rider. “The first day is always strange because you have to adapt to many new things and also the team is completely new, so I had to get to know everyone and see how the philosophy or a way of working is.

“It was a day where we just focused on riding and getting the most sensations as possible to go into the winter break with something to sleep on.

“The goal was not to perform well but was to just keep riding and understand well the limits of the bike. I think we managed to do it well.”

Fernandez ‘enthusiastic’ for second MotoGP season after Aprilia debut

Joining Oliveira in making his debut for the CryptoDATA RNF Aprilia team was former Tech 3 KTM rider Raul Fernandez.

The Spaniard finished close to a second down on his more experienced team-mate, and like Oliveira the one-day test was about familiarising himself with a bike that at stages in 2022 appeared to be a match for the Ducati.

Raul Fernandez, Valencia MotoGP test 08 November

Struggling to sleep on Monday night due to nerves, Fernandez said: “I’m really happy but I’m super tired because last night I couldn’t sleep because of the nerves.

“With the nerves it was like the first day at school but to be honest and I’m really enthusiastic to start the season.

“In the end, I did one year with KTM so we just rode the bike and tried to understand the bike. We didn’t try anything special.”

With Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales returning for 2023 in the factory team, an even stronger showing from Aprilia with four top riders at its disposal should take place next season.