        Already bolstered by the agreement signed with Aleix Espargar&oacute; and Maverick Vi&ntilde;ales, Aprilia will be able to count on two additional RS-GP bikes on next year&rsquo;s MotoGP grid. The RNF Team will take delivery of two new bikes, switching from Yamahas to four-cylinder Aprilias, which will be ridden by two riders who are new to the Venetian court. Both Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez arrive from KTM and will work together in the garage during the 2023-2024 seasons. The satisfaction of Razali, RNF manager  RNF Team boss Razlan is ever cheerful and pleasant, and&nbsp;is very enthusiastic about the latest developments of his project: "We are extremely excited to welcome Miguel Oliveira and Ra&uacute;l Fernandez to the WithU RNF MotoGP Team from 2023&rdquo;, his words in the official press release. &ldquo;It has not been a simple process, but together with Aprilia we were very clear on the riders that we wanted. They are both young riders with a good combination of experience, coming from Miguel, and Ra&uacute;l who I&rsquo;m personally a fan of since he shocked the Moto2 category last year to become Vice Champion. To finally secure him, is fantastic. Both Aprilia and we believe in the talent of both riders, so we can&rsquo;t wait for them to ride for us next season!&rdquo; The ambitions of Massimo Rivola, Aprilia Racing CEO  Massimo brings F1-style reasoning to the table and it is thanks to his input that Aprilia will be able count on a satellite team in the reigning class: &ldquo;Our satellite project with Team RNF is taking shape in the way we conceived it from the very beginning&rdquo;, he explains. &ldquo;We have succeeded in securing two extraordinary talents, two riders whom I greatly respect both from a human point of view and for their technical skills. Miguel has shown his talent in all categories, although he is still very young he has already accumulated a lot of experience, winning four races in MotoGP, sometimes with dominant performances. At his side will be Raul, a rider I make no secret of having sought out several times. I think he is one of the most crystal clear promises of recent years, what he did in Moto2 on his debut speaks volumes about his speed. We&rsquo;ll have to be good at offering them both a technical package that will allow them to perform at their full potential. I would like to take this opportunity to thank KTM who, showing their great sportsmanship, have allowed Miguel and Raul to ride on our bikes immediately after the end of the 2022 Championship.&rdquo; Translated by Heather Watson MotoGP: Bagnaia climbs the most successful GP rider rankings       

The Noale manufacturer will field two additional RS-GP bikes, entrusted to young yet experienced riders Miguel and Raul in 2023-24

MotoGP, Aprilia welcomes Oliveira and Fernandez to the RNF team

        The world championship rider market has been bubbling for a while already. With each day that passes, another piece of the 2023 puzzle slots into place. However, there are a good number of riders who are still to make their future plans official, Joan Mir for example (Honda-bound) or Raul Fernandez. Last year&rsquo;s Moto2 runner-up looks set to move to Aprilia, specifically to Razlan Razali&rsquo;s RNF team, which currently competes with Yamaha bikes. If the plan comes together, Fernandez&rsquo;s team-mate should be Miguel Oliveira, who is as good as confirmed aboard the Italian bike. Miguel Oliveira in the role of "first rider&rdquo;  The Noale manufacturer&rsquo;s decision is clear, to focus on an experienced, reliable rider like Miguel Oliveira and pair him with a young hopeful like Raul Fernandez. And yet this potential pairing is not without its perplexities, with the Portuguese having never been one of the category&rsquo;s top riders and with the young rookie who is perhaps the biggest disappointment of the season so far, having scored just five points in eleven races. The Portuguese rider would be leaving KTM after four years in MotoGP, experience that would definitely help at Aprilia, with the manufacturer gaining a rider who could also contribute to the development of the bikes. Oliveira isn&rsquo;t exactly one of the quickest and most explosive in the reigning class, although he has won four races (16 in total across the three classes), but of the riders currently available on the market, he would clearly be an important addition to an already competitive camp, the Espargar&oacute;-Vi&ntilde;ales pairing destined to grow further next year. Betting on Fernandez  The latest rumours continue to link Raul Fernandez to the Aprilia of Team RNF, a decision that makes sense in terms of the rider&rsquo;s age and achievements to date, but that also throws up a few questions. Although the current standings see the Spanish rookie place last, with just five points, his talent has never been up for discussion, to the extent that several manufacturers have already shown an interest. Last season, Fernandez just missed out on the title in the intermediate class, winning eight races, and in his rookie year no less. All this bodes very well for the 21-year old, but the Spaniard isn&rsquo;t exactly shining in his first MotoGP season, in fact he&rsquo;s really struggling to make an impression. It should be noted that his adventure with KTM didn&rsquo;t get off to the best start, as it wasn&rsquo;t the Spaniard&rsquo;s first choice and he found himself aboard a bike that was probably not up to the level of the competition. Mentally speaking, Fernandez wasn&rsquo;t ready for this, suffering perhaps more than he should as a result. That said, Aprilia would be making an interesting move, gaining a rider who was one of the most sought after up until last year and who, in the right context, has all the potential to become a top rider. Translated by Heather Watson Jack Miller: is he the right rider to make the KTM a winner?       

Razlan Razali seems to be looking to this line-up for next season, thus opting for two KTM riders

MotoGP: are Oliveira and Fernandez right for Team RNF Aprilia?

        Day two of testing at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia, reserved for test riders and rookie MotoGP riders, saw Tech3 duo Remy Gardner and Raul Fernandez in action with just one goal &ndash; to continue their apprenticeship aboard the KTM RC16, very different to the Moto2 bikes they are used to riding. The Spaniard rounded out the day in fourth place, after completing 55 laps, while the Australian, still not fully fit following injury this winter, lies sixth after putting together 43 laps. Gardner: "I&rsquo;m starting to feel comfortable on the bike"  "This second day has been very positive", states a visible satisfied Remy. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m starting to feel comfortable on the bike after making a few changes. All in all I&rsquo;m pleased, although I&rsquo;m still suffering over long distance due to my injury. But we needed these tests to try some different solutions, so I&rsquo;m not pushing too hard or taking any unnecessary risks, instead I&rsquo;m trying to have fun on the bike. I can&rsquo;t wait to get back on the track&rdquo;. Fernandez: "I&rsquo;m adapting to the bike without turning it upside down"  The Spaniard has opted for a different strategy to his team-mate as he adapts to the bike: "I&rsquo;m continuing to get to grips with the bike and we&rsquo;ve worked well on day two, completing many laps and understanding more about certain aspects. I think the right approach for a rookie rider like me is not to turn the bike upside down, but to ride as much as possible, focusing on myself. I&rsquo;m usually able to adapt quickly with this method, so I&rsquo;ll continue in this direction in the coming days". Translated by Heather Watson MotoGP, Bagnaia: &ldquo;My contract? I only imagine a future with Ducati&rdquo;       

The two team Tech3 KTM rookie riders continue to get to grips with their RC16 machines during the second day of shakedown: "We feel good on the bike and are having fun"

Sepang test: Gardner and Fernandez continue to adapt to the MotoGP bike

        With the initial shakedown at the Sepang track in Malaysia now in the bag, preparation for the 2022 MotoGP season is officially underway. Out on track until 2 February are the manufacturers&rsquo; official test riders and this season&rsquo;s rookies, or rather Raul Fernandez, Remy Gardner, Darryn Binder and Italians Fabio Di Giannantonio and Marco Bezzecchi. The fastest on day 1 was Spaniard Raul Fernandez, the 2021 Moto2 runner-up, who set a 2'00.898 aboard the Tech 3 team&rsquo;s KTM RC16. He was the only rider to duck under 2'01 in fact, and was followed by the Ducati, KTM and Aprilia test riders, or rather Michele Pirro, Mika Kallio and Lorenzo Savadori, who placed second, third and fourth&nbsp;respectively. Bezzecchi sixth, Di Giannantonio ninth  Fifth, sixth and seventh for Remy Gardner, Marco Bezzecchi and Darryn Binder. The Australian closed a little under a second behind his Tech3 team-mate and ahead of the team VR46 Desmosedici ridden by the Italian and the Yamaha M1 belonging to the South African, who appears to be adapting to the power of the MotoGP quite quickly, despite having jumped directly from Moto3. Fabio Di Giannantonio embarks on his adventure with team Gresini and Ducati, the number 49 rider having closed in ninth place. And then there are the other test riders, or rather Sylvain Guintoli for Suzuki and the Crutchlow-Nakasuga pairing for Yamaha. Missing from the line-up is the Honda Test Team, its test rider Stefan Bradl unable to ride due to a bike delivery delay, the bikes held up in Dubai on their way from Jerez where the team tested last week. Bradl should be able to ride as of tomorrow. Translated by Heather Watson Moto3: daniel holgado undergoes surgery on his left leg       

The first day dedicated to test riders and rookies saw the Spaniard finish out front with the Tech3 KTM. &nbsp;&ldquo;Bez&rdquo; and &ldquo;Diggia&rdquo; have also begun their apprenticeships, while Stefan Bradl did not ride

MotoGP, Sepang test: Fernandez on top on the first day of shakedown

        KTM is ready for a relaunch in 2022. With the championship just around the corner and team presentations already underway, the Austrian manufacturer has high hopes for the season. Not only with regard to its factory team, but also its Tech3 line-up. Herv&eacute; Poncharal&rsquo;s team will field the two most promising rookies on the grid, Moto2 world champion Remy Gardner and runner-up Raul Fernandez. Gardner - Fernandez: no shortage of talent  But will the two young KTM talents prove to be a winning bet? Both have the goods on paper of course. Australian Gardner has recently secured the Moto2 title and&nbsp;let's not forget that Fernandez, second in the 2021 standings, was able to achieve this result in what was his rookie Moto2 season, fighting for the title from start to finish. This could bode well for him in MotoGP. The Spaniard has shown he is quick to adapt to change and he was immediately quick in initial testing at Jerez despite it being his first outing with the MotoGP bike. Raul is clearly not short on talent. And the same goes for Gardner who, unlike Fernandez, is a more mature rider and can also boast a certain level of experience, having competed in Moto2 for six seasons. This will clearly be useful when it comes to his work in the garage and his approach to the new team. With so many young riders in its ranks, KTM is spoiled for choice  We&rsquo;ve come to understand the KTM strategy over the years, the manufacturer clearly focusing on young riders and all that is new. And so it's equally clear that both Raul and Gardner could also represent the future for the factory team (already in 2023), stepping in to replace Brad Binder and Miguel Oliveira. The two factory riders didn&rsquo;t put together the kind of season that KTM expected in 2021, and so this coming season will be the year of truth. If the pair fail to power the RC16 to the front and round out the year close to the top of the standings, they will have no chance of retaining their rides with the Austrian manufacturer. With a view to 2023, Beirer himself has said that no one is safe and that KTM will need to either renew or change up its contracts for both the factory squad and the Tech3 team. And the two most likely substitutes for the factory team are of course Gardner and Fernandez. Although Pedro Acosta may also be on the horizon, ready to mix things up and perhaps enter the running for a factory KTM ride already in 2023. The young Spaniard won the Moto3 title in 2021 and will compete in Moto2 in 2022, remaining with KTM (team Ajo). So it wouldn&rsquo;t be too much of a stretch to see him in MotoGP in 2023. And the Austrian manufacturer won&rsquo;t want to lose this kind of rider, though many other teams are already showing a strong interest in him. The KTM strategy is nevertheless clear, and the manufacturer has many young and talented riders in its ranks right now. Binder and Oliveira should take heed, as the pressure is most definitely on. Translated by Heather Watson Andrea Dovizioso: a second life in MotoGP begins       

The two rookies represent the future for the official team and, if Binder and Oliveira don&rsquo;t deliver, they&rsquo;ll be replaced by the Austrian manufacturer without too much trouble. But is Acosta also in the running?

MotoGP: Gardner and Fernandez, the factory KTM is calling for 2023

        The first two days of 2020 testing have seen MotoGP rookies Raul Fernandez and Remy Gardner, both of whom arrive from Moto2, climb aboard the KTM bikes of the Tech3 KTM Factory Racing team and start to get to grips with their new machines. Team manager Herv&eacute; Poncharal told motogp.com: &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve had two incredibly intense test days. I want to thank both the riders for their commitment. I know they&rsquo;re coming off a long season and must be a little tired, but they showed real motivation during this first real MotoGP test.&rdquo; An encouraging start  The pair, who battled it out for the Moto2 title all the way to Valencia, are now team-mates once again, both making the best possible start in the top class according to Poncharal: &ldquo;They brought a really positive atmosphere and both put in an impressive performance, giving us some very interesting feedback&rdquo;. This was only a taster of what we can expect in 2022, when they will line up against the fastest riders in the world: &ldquo;I think they&rsquo;ve understood something about what they need to do to be quick with this bike and what they need to do to be physically in shape&rdquo;. The latest modifications  Poncharal continued on the theme of fitness: &ldquo;They both immediately realised that the upper part of the body needs to be a lot stronger to race in MotoGP, where there&rsquo;s greater speed and carbon brakes&rdquo;. Overall, the team manager is pleased: &ldquo;It was a very productive and interesting test, because they can now head into the winter break knowing what needs to be done in order to get to Sepang with clear ideas&rdquo;.&nbsp; Ace up their sleeve  In addition to the riders&rsquo; work, Poncharal also highlights the contribution made by KTM test rider Dani Pedrosa: &ldquo;I would like to thank Dani Pedrosa as well for his role as a test rider, but also as an adviser. He came to see our riders after having been on the service road watching them and every single bit of advice he gave them was very important and very helpful&rdquo;. Now it&rsquo;s time for the team and riders to head on holiday, but not the Mattighofen manufacturer of course: &ldquo;Now it&rsquo;s up to the brains inside the KTM Factory Racing department to sharpen our 2022 weapons, but I&rsquo;ve got all trust in them&rdquo;. Translated by Heather Watson MotoGP, six weeks of total rest for Marc Marquez       

Raul Fernandez and Remy Gardner have landed in the top class and the French manager comments on the rookies&rsquo; initial approach, ahead of 2022

MotoGP, Poncharal: “Pedrosa a useful adviser”

        Raul Fernandez was lying just nine points behind team-mate Remy Gardner before the Misano race. But now the gap is considerably larger, 18 points in fact, after the Spaniard crashed out of the race and the Australian finished seventh. Just as the Spaniard was dominating and had an opportunity to move into the lead, it all went up in smoke with a crash that weighs heavily on his title chances. Real disappointment  As a rookie, Fernandez is having an incredible season in Moto2, having scored seven wins and a total of ten podiums. It was looking as if he might do what Marc Marquez was unable to do before him, or rather win the title in his first season. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know what happened&rdquo;, Fernandez told motogp.com, &ldquo;it&rsquo;s hard not knowing what happened. When I&rsquo;m in the race, I&rsquo;m not thinking about the championship, I just want to win the race. I made a very strange error, because I did everything as I always do&rdquo;. Time for a reset  All is not lost, with 50 points still up for grabs, but there&rsquo;s no denying that the situation is now extremely difficult for him. Gardner will need to gain just eight points at Portimao to become Moto2 world champion and Fernandez is well aware of this: &ldquo;I need to go home, have fun, clear my mind of what has happened and give it my all in the next two races&rdquo;. It&rsquo;s impossible not to have regrets: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m really sorry for my team. I should have thought more about the championship and not the race, but I don&rsquo;t want to keep thinking about the crash. I&rsquo;ll try to improve in future&rdquo;. Translated by Heather Watson MotoGP, Ciabatti and Bagnaia's crash at Misano: &ldquo;It hurts&rdquo;       

In crashing at Misano, the Spaniard has seriously compromised his title challenge, doubling the points that lie between him and Gardner

Moto2, Fernandez: “I should have focused on the championship and not the race”

The second day of MotoGP testing at Misano brought some &lsquo;new&rsquo; riders to the track. Out with the team Tech3 KTM RC16 bikes were current Moto2 riders Remy Gardner and Raul Fernandez, with Petrucci and Lecuona standing aside for the two new-entries.  A dream come true for Gardner and Fernandez   Before the test began, team manager Herv&eacute; Poncharal was sure to remove any pressure: &ldquo;We don&rsquo;t expect anything. It&rsquo;s just a shakedown, nothing more. When a Moto2 rider has their first MotoGP test at Jerez, day one is always spent finding the right set-up for the footpegs, handlebar, seat and riding position. So the aim is to get on the bike and do some laps in order to give the team as much information as possible so they can prepare the bikes. And when they climb on the bike at Jerez after the end of the Moto2 season, we hope they are already comfortable on it.&quot;  &quot;With both having signed for us for next year - continues Poncharal &ndash; it&rsquo;s a prize for what they&rsquo;re doing. Having them ride in MotoGP was their dream right from when they came to the championship. It will be interesting to hear their impressions when they take their helmets off.&rdquo;  Talking about the &lsquo;handover&rsquo; with Remy Gardner, Danilo Petrucci says: &ldquo;I think Remy is a really good rider. We don&rsquo;t have new parts to test or we&rsquo;ve already tested things that were not too useful, so it&rsquo;s better for him to ride&rdquo;.  Translated by Heather Watson  Misano MotoGP test, Rossi and Dovizioso agree: &ldquo;The feeling is improving&rdquo; 

The two Moto2 stars with the RedBull KTM Ajo team test the Tech3 RC16 on day two of testing at Misano ahead of another test at Jerez at the end of the season

Misano MotoGP test: KTM sends Remy Gardner and Raul Fernandez out on track

        The Moto2 title fight is an uphill battle for Ra&uacute;l Fern&aacute;ndez, the rider currently lying 44 points behind team-mate Remy Gardner. And now he will head into the Arag&oacute;n round in less than ideal shape. The Spaniard has in fact suffered an accident while training, breaking the fifth metacarpal on his right hand in the process. He will attempt to race this weekend having now undergone surgery. Surgery last Sunday  He himself provides an update on his social media channels, explaining: &ldquo;Last Friday I crashed while training and have unfortunately injured the fifth metacarpal on my right hand. I really want to thank doctor Xavier Mir, who carried out urgent surgery on Sunday so that I can start my recovery as soon as possible. I also want to thank physiotherapist Carlos Garcia who, thanks to his hands, has left mine in great shape! Thanks everyone! See you at MotorLand!&rdquo; The Ajo team rider will attempt to race this weekend, but after the mistake he made at Silverstone he&rsquo;ll need to score solid points if he wants to keep his title dream alive. Translated by Heather Watson MotoGP, Marc M&aacute;rquez: &ldquo;I always enjoy racing at Arag&oacute;n&rdquo;       

The Spaniard pays the price following an accident during training and has been operated on by doctor Mir; he will attempt to compete in round 13 &nbsp;

Moto2 GP Aragon, Fernández injures his right hand

        Ra&uacute;l Fern&aacute;ndez&rsquo;s Moto2 chapter has got off to the best possible start, the rider a fixed presence in the leading group. He finished the Qatar races in fifth and third place and, after a 2020 Moto3 season that saw him continue to grow, the Spaniard is already proving to be something of a revelation in the middle class. MotoGP is close  So much so that he&rsquo;s already attracted the attention of some major players in the top class. Spanish paper Marca suggests that Yamaha, Ducati and Aprilia have already shown an interest in the Spaniard, enquiring as to his contractual arrangements for coming seasons. He has clearly adapted quickly to the Red Bull Team Ajo&rsquo;s Kalex and has become one of the stars of the category in little more than a month. This initial contact will surely lead to more, though the other manufacturers will have to deal with KTM, which has hired the Spaniard for the 2021-22 Moto2 seasons with an option for him to debut in the reigning class in 2023. Translated by Heather Watson MotoGP Portugal, behind the scenes with Marc M&aacute;rquez: &ldquo;I wanted Qatar&rdquo;        

Following an extraordinary debut performance in the middle class, the Spaniard has been contacted by various manufacturers in the reigning class

10 risultati per 'EN raul fernandez'