Augusto Fernandez ‘never’ comfortable on carbon fibre chassis

“It’s a strange feeling… But I won’t give up."

Augusto Fernandez, 2024 Australian MotoGP
Augusto Fernandez, 2024 Australian MotoGP

With just three rounds to go in his second and - for now - final MotoGP season, 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Augusto Fernandez is yet to get close to the 🐓results of his rookie campaign.

Most importantly for the Span🌟iard, he’s never felt comfortabꦬle.

The GASGAS Tech3 rider took fourth pl𒈔ace at Le Mansꦏ among three top-ten finishes and 71 points last year.

So 𝓀far this year, Fernandez has just 21 points, a bes꧟t of eleventh and was out of a 2025 ride by mid-June, when Enea Bastianini and Maverick Vinales.

Fernandez, who has been linked wiꦬth a possible Yamaha test riding deal, says his only goal is to try and finish the season with ‘good feelings’ on the bike.

“Last year was good here. Again, I don't know ౠwhat t💞o expect from this year, like in every track,” Fernandez said on Thursday in Buriram.

“Last year I was in𝔍 the top 10 on Friday, directly into Q2, and then the race wasn't perfect because I had some issues. But I f♌elt not so bad here.

🍰“So let's see.  We are working hard to try and finish the season with good feelings. I don't want to 💧finish the season as bad as it's been all this season.”

Despite the end of the world championship being just weeks away, Fernandez said they༺🍸 are still without a base set-up.

“So we're still changing and playing," he said. "For this weekend, we have♋ an idea. I've been thinking a lot, to try to see how to get the feeling and also checking the other KTMs, and my bike last year.

“I don't know, just trying everything! I don't give up [hope of finding] the feeling, riding good, being as fast as I know. We have three tracks t𝕴hat I like and le𝓰t's see.”

The main change for the 2024 RC16 was the switch from a steel trellis frame to a carbon fibre chassis, ꦛdebuted by the factory team at the end of last year.

Fernandez’s rookie team-mate Pedro Acosta has taken the bike to four grand prix podiums this year, ♐plus a further rostrum for Brad Binder.

Asked if he has ever felt as comfortable on the carbon fibre as he had been last season, Fernandez re✅plied: “Never. Never got the feeling.”

The former Moto2 ♏world champion added that his difficulties seem to stem ꧑from the flexibility of the chassis at the rear.

“It's not a lack of grip, but it is at the same time - the feeling that I have, and in terms of rear contact. It’s not stability, but it’s liওke a flexible feeling. It’ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚs a strange feeling.

“So yeah, it's b✤een a very difficult one. But there are three more riders that have been able to go very fast this year. One [rider] more than the others. But at the🦋 end, [all] better than me.

“So as I said, I don't give up. Three more races to go and let's🤡 kee♓p pushing.”

While Binder and Acosta are battling over fifth in the world championship, Binder’s team-mate Jack Miller is 14th in the standings, with a bes⭕t finis💖h of fifth. 

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