Raul Fernandez “positively surprised” key MotoGP figure in Australian GP win

Raul Fernandez’s surprise victory at the Australian MotoGP left Davide Brivio “positively surprised” by the “maturity” the four-year premier class rider displayed.

Fernandez had not stepped on a grand prix podium in the MotoGP class since stepping up from Moto2 in 2022.

But at Phillip Island he was presented – thanks to the absence of Marc Marquez and the double long lap penalty for Marco Bezzecchi for causing the crash that led to that absence – with an opportunity to challenge for victory.

In the Aprilia he had the best bike, and he essentially had no competition.

However, simply having the opportunity to win is not enough to win on its own, and Trackhouse Aprilia Team Principal Davide Brivio says he was impressed by the calmness and “maturity” shown by the 24-year-old in managing tyres, and controlling himself when he was passed by Pedro Acosta in the beginning.

“Of course, more than happy to have won the race,” said Brivio, speaking to the MotoGP world feed broadcast during FP1 in Sepang.

“It’s great, fantastic. I’m very happy the way it came, the way he [Fernandez] managed the race, because there has been a lot of talk with the engineers about tyre management, how critical is Phillip Island by the end of the race with tyres and he just did everything perfect.

“Also, when Pedro [Acosta] overtook him, he stayed calm, in control, waiting. 

“So, from this point of view, he positively surprised me, because it’s the first time we see him doing this in MotoGP. 

“I was a little bit worried, ‘Can he manage, can he keep going?’ 

“But, he did everything very well, so I’m very happy for this. He showed maturity and I hope we can keep using [it] from now on.”

A step too early?

Fernandez’s route to MotoGP success was one which rarely seemed as though it would reach its destination. The Spanish rider was considered a serial underperformer in his first years in the class and was rarely able to achieve the kind of results his one-year Moto2 career suggested he could.

But from the second third of the 2025 season there were signs of improvement. Aprilia was making strides with the RS-GP and Fernandez was somewhat following suite, finishing inside the top-10 in six of the last seven races before the summer break.

After a brief dip in form in Hungary, Catalunya, and San Marino, Fernandez was back in the top-10 from the start of the Asian tour in Japan at the end of September, and then took his first MotoGP podium of any kind in the Indonesian Sprint.

There was a build-up, then, to the Australian victory, and the amount time for that build-up to reach its crescendo is put, by Brivio, down to a number of factors, including the timing of his move to MotoGP.

“Probably he switched from Moto2 to MotoGP maybe too early,” Brivio said.

“And also, coming from eight wins in Moto2, probably he was feeling like ready for MotoGP – which is not the case, when you come you have to learn. 

“So, probably he had also some up and down on building up his mindset, to accept that in MotoGP he might have struggles. 

“Also, he changed teams after one year, so probably now is a little bit more stability – the same bike, same team for two or three years, the same people around. Maybe that also helped. 

“And, of course, he has to be aware how difficult is MotoGP, how hard he has to work. 

“This winter he worked a lot on improving his physical condition which last year was a little bit critical. 

“So, I think he’s getting mature also outside of the track. The maturity is also outside of the track, and everything helps: good bike, good development from Aprilia, his experience, stability, people around – all together, it’s a big package when you put this together.”