Second injured Aprilia star “feels worse” after being cleared for Malaysian GP

Raul Fernandez “feels worse” now, ahead of the Malaysian MotoGP, than he did three weeks ago when he first broke two fingers in Indonesia.

Fernandez rode the day after crashing at the first turn in the MotoGP Sprint and revealed only after finishing second that he had broken two fingers – he had initially only reported one fracture.

But two weeks later, at Phillip Island, Fernandez pulled out of the Australian Grand Prix. Another week on and the Spaniard has been declared fit for the Malaysian Grand Prix, although he'll need to be checked again after FP1, despite what he describes as a deteriorating feeling.

“Let’s see how is FP1 and then we decide,” said Raul Fernandez, speaking to MotoGP.com after being declared fit for Malaysia.

“Right now, it feels worse than when I broke the fingers. I think every weekend I start to feel worse, maybe because I tried to stay on the bike since Indonesia, so maybe I didn’t have enough time for me to recover well. 

“I think we checked with the doctor, the fracture is still there. We saw that it’s coming, to recover the bone, but let’s say that, maybe, if I am not really comfortable, if I see that I cannot ride, if I think the best way is to stop the weekend and recover for the next one, then I am not really happy because I am a rider that I always want to be on the bike, but let’s see in FP1 and then we decide. 

“I think the team is behind me, I think there are some people that are travelling with me to try to support me. 

“But we have to be smart and try to see the best for me and to end well the season because we got really good results, we saw that sometimes we were super-competitive. So, it’s time to not break the season and it’s time to recover well and end well the season.”

Fernandez also admitted that the harder braking demands of the Sepang circuit compared to Phillip Island or Mandalika will not help him in Malaysia.

“That is also the reason that we are thinking about the best way for me because it is not a track like Phillip Island and Indonesia,” he said.

“In Phillip Island and Indonesia we had just two really hard brakings, here we have four or five very hard that we have to manage very well the brakes. So, we need to be smart. 

“For sure the conditions are super-different, but I think it’s time to be realistic on the bike. If we see that, in FP1, I am not really able to ride, we need to see with the doctor which is the best way. 

“For sure it’s a different track and it doesn’t help me.”

No concerns about the championship

While Fernandez is recovering from his broken fingers, Aprilia is trying to secure its first riders’ title with Jorge Martin.

Martin’s chances took a blow last week in Australia when he crashed in the Sprint, losing 12 points to Marc Marquez and breaking his right wrist.

Trackhouse rider Fernandez feels he will be back close to full fitness before long, but also admitted that at the moment his focus is not on helping Martin or Aprilia beat Marquez to the title.

“I think in one week it looks like I can be, maybe not 100 per cent but 90 per cent,” he said.

“So, if I am 90 per cent, for sure I will be better on the bike. 

“Another thing is, I’m so sorry, but I don’t care about the championship right now; I am really focused on recovering well the fingers and we have a really good chance to be in the top-three in the teams’ championship. So, we need to think a little bit more on us.

“For sure, if I am on track, I will respect to all Aprilias, to all riders, but I am really focused on me and on my recovery.”