Trackhouse riders outline stance on MotoGP team orders as title pressure mounts
Raul Fernandez says he will race for victory in MotoGP until Aprilia’s title situation potentially changes over the final two rounds.
With Aprilia indicating that team orders will not apply while any of its riders remain mathematically in MotoGP title contention, Raul Fernandez and Ai Ogura should still be racing purely for themselves at Mandalika.
Aprilia starts the weekend with Jorge Martin just two points clear of reigning champion Marc Marquez after the Ducati rider's double at Motegi.
Martin's factory RS-GP team-mate Marco Bezzecchi is 49 points behind in third.
Ogura is 96 adrift with Fernandez currently the lowest-placed RS-GP rider in the standings, 117 points behind Martin.
However, with six rounds remaining and a maximum 222 points still available, both Trackhouse riders remain comfortably inside Aprilia’s mathematical threshold.
Asked about team orders on Thursday, Fernandez said he remains fully focused on winning this weekend, but also offered a timeline for when that approach might change.
"We will see in the last two"
“If we can win, we need to win,” Fernandez, who claimed his maiden Sprint podium at Mandalika last season, told the media, including Crash.net.
“I don't think [about team orders now]. If in the last two races we need to think about the title, we will see in the last two.
“Right now, it's important we are racing for Trackhouse, and we need to take the maximum for them.”
Although official team orders remain some way off, Ogura confirmed he won't try anything “stupid” if he finds himself battling Martin or Bezzecchi.
“If I have Jorge or Bez in front of me for sure I will not do something stupid,” Ogura said of the team orders question.
“But if I feel I can overtake then safely, then for sure I will try.
“It really depends on their situation and my situation.
"But normally if a rider has one guy in front he can pass, he will pass.”
Mandalika is seen as a major opportunity for Aprilia to outscore Marc Marquez, following the RS-GP’s strong performance at the circuit last season.
Martin and Ogura both missed last year’s Indonesian round through injury, but Aprilia arrives at full strength this time, with all four riders having already won a grand prix this season.
“Can be funny, if it's between all of us,” replied Fernandez when asked if all the RS-GPs could be fighting at the front this weekend.
“But as we saw this year, we cannot take a reference from last year.
“Last year we were quite competitive here, but we need to see. We have one tyre less, so we have to see how we can manage.
“Anyway, I am happy, and if we take our 100%, we don't need to think about another rider.
“For me it's nice to be here and see if in this flowing track I can be back.”
Fernandez won at the similarly flowing Silverstone circuit in August.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
