Raul Fernandez after Qatar test: ‘The key was not to create dangerous situations’

Able to rival the factory Aprilia duo, Raul Fernandez was bli🧸steringly q♊uick at the Qatar MotoGP test.

Raul Fernandez, Qatar MotoGP test, 20 February
Raul Fernandez, Qatar MotoGP test, 20 February

After injury scuppered his Sepang MotoGP test, 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Raul Fernandez was on top f✱orm in Qatar as he finished fifth fastest.

Less than a tenth down on Aleix Espargaro and half a tenth faster than Maverick Vinales, Fernandez showed his potential aboard the RS-GP23 machine, which he will swap for a 2024-spec bike midway through the ඣyear.

But Fernandez was quick to point out that trying fo🌳r a fast lap wasꦏ not the main aim at Lusail.

“We didn’t really focus on a fast lap, we just tried the soft tyre,” said Fernandez. “The key for this test was not to ღcreate any dangerous situations, so when I used the soft tyre, it was not in order to try to push, but to understand it because I never used this kind of compound before on this bike.

“So, this was important for us. Anyway, I stil📖l didn’t want to focus on a single fast lap. I’m just happy about the work we did.

“The pace was very good, especially when working with the used tire. For us it 💖was great, also seeing that I don’t feel 100% fit yet, which hopefully is going to improve for the GP.”

While Fern🌠andez spent much of day-two at the front of the field, team-mate Miguel Oliveira was unable to demonstrate the same speed.

Oliveiraꦦ was the only Aprilia rider not inside the top 10, and although it was a better test for the Portuguese rider than Sepang, he was st🎀ill ‘not fully satisfied’.

Oliveira said: “It was a better day. I’m not fully satisfied, but at least we took a good step forward. It’s just a shame that we got to a ﷽good feeling too late.

“Finally, it was four days with the same bad feeling and 👍today with a slightly different bike, I could finally start 👍to make some steps and be competitive.

“I couldn’t make the best of the whole bike because your braking points, the way you ride, if you get a good bike day by day, you can fine-tune those p🅘oints.

“Also, during today, we were bui🌃lding up a good speed, then lost some time with one bike, but then with the time-attacks everything worked, more or less, ok.”

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