"Unnoticed" - A. Fernandez' under the radar first 5 rounds

Adapting to a MotoGP™ thoroughbred from Moto2™ – or any other type of motorcycle – is a monumental challenge. Some riders can mould themselves into a premier class frontrunner sooner than others, and at the French GP, Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) proved he’s able to mix it with MotoGP™ established elite already.

After just five races donned in GASGAS Tech3 red, the reigning Moto2™ World Champion has notched up 30 points. This is the best start to a rookie campaign since Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) in 2020 when the South African scored 41 points in the opening five rounds after his famous win in the Czech Republic. 2022 Rookie of the Year, Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), had eight points in his pocket this time last year. The title-chasing Italian, who currently occupies P2 in the Championship, had to wait until Round 8 to pass the 30-point mark.

Very promising signs for Augusto Fernandez then. Some of you may be thinking, ‘Well, that’s not a fair comparison because we have the Tissot Sprint in 2023?’ Correct, but Fernandez is yet to score in the Tissot Sprint, so drawing direct comparisons with some of his current rivals is a good way of gauging how well the Spaniard is riding in 2023.

His P4 result in Le Mans was nothing short of exceptional. But it’s not just that six-second off-the-win result that has been impressive from the #37. Fernandez has been consistently scoring points on a Sunday afternoon this season and is one of only three riders to have bagged at least one point on Sundays in 2023. The other two? Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ duo Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli.

P13, P11, P10, P13, P4. A very solid collection of results in your first five MotoGP™ races in what is arguably the most competitive field we’ve ever had. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) was sat on Fernandez’s rear wheel for a lot of the French GP, and the 2022 title challenger had plenty of praise to offer for his compatriot after the race.

“Yeah, Augusto’s race was crazy. Congratulations to him because it's not just about starting at the front, but he was able to overtake the KTMs and have a really solid pace. So I was very happy for Augusto,” said Espargaro. The #41 referred to Fernandez’s best qualifying result of the season, with the GASGAS star getting himself into Q2 for the first time and launching from P12.

“I know how difficult it is to stay and to maintain your position in this paddock, you have to fight like a lion… He's the reigning Moto2 World Champion, so actually on the last lap I had some opportunities to overtake him in the last split, but I decided to don't try because I think the risk was too high and I didn't want to ruin his race because what he did today was amazing.”

It’s safe to say Tech3 team boss Herve Poncharal agrees with Espargaro. After the French GP – Tech3’s home round – Poncharal offered his thoughts on the team’s and Fernandez’s best result of the season so far to motogp.com.

“Since the beginning of the year he’s been putting in great performances that go unnoticed almost all the time. Some people will say: ‘Yes, he finished tenth because there were crashes…’ It's true but not only that. Look, this weekend, he reached Q2, he left with the seventh best time in the race and finished very close to the top three,” stated Poncharal.

“Clearly the performances were there… Of course, the rider needs his team and vice versa. Afterwards, whatever you say, once the lights go out, they are a bit on their own. And here, he clearly demonstrated what he was capable of. Hats off to him! Frankly, I'm glad to see it working so well. Augusto is such a likeable, discreet, hard-working guy... Like Dani (Pedrosa), he also brings a kind of serenity to the team. When you are in such an environment, it is so much more pleasant.”

It’s been a great start to his rookie season for Fernandez. Now, it’s all about continuing the momentum gained from that P4 into the rest the of campaign – starting at one of the calendar’s finest venues: Mugello.