2025 MotoGP Season: Raul Fernandez Poised to Become Aprilia’s New Team Leader Amid Major Lineup Changes

Why 2025 is a Crucial Year for Aprilia’s MotoGP Veteran to Step Up as Team Leader

With a revamped Aprilia team, one rider has the responsibility to guide development, presenting an opportunity for him to excel

There is much anticipation for Aprilia next season. They have managed to secure Jorge Martin, one of the top talents in MotoGP, who was previously with Ducati. Additionally, they have added Marco Bezzecchi, an established race winner, to their roster, and welcomed the promising newcomer Ai Ogura to Trackhouse.

However, this presents a bit of an issue. Aprilia started the 2024 season strongly, with Maverick Vinales securing a victory at the Americas Grand Prix.

Recently, it has become evident that the company has fallen behind its main competitor, Ducati. CEO Massimo Rivola recently acknowledged that they are making mistakes with the RS-GP bike. The company must continue to enhance its bike to stay competitive in 2024 and maintain a solid base for the next year's model.

However, with Vinales transferring to KTM, Aleix Espargaro becoming a test rider for Honda, and Miguel Oliveira poised to secure a factory Yamaha at Pramac, Aprilia faces a dilemma. They must carefully consider the extent to which they wish for their current team members to develop, knowing that any advancements could be taken to competing teams.

Moreover, the development efforts for the 2025 season will be undertaken by an entirely fresh group of riders handling the RS-GP. This doesn't imply they lack skill, but given the restricted testing periods currently, they will have minimal time to familiarize themselves with the RS-GP before the new season kicks off in Thailand next February.

Looking ahead to 2025, Aprilia's roster will definitely include Raul Fernandez. He has just secured a new contract that extends his tenure with Trackhouse Racing for an additional two years, beyond the conclusion of this season.

Fernandez's performance on the Aprilia has not lived up to the high expectations set by his impressive Moto2 rookie season in 2021. Throughout the 2023 season, he accumulated a total of 51 points, with his top finish being fifth place at the Valencia Grand Prix in the final race of the year. As of 11 rounds into the 2024 season, Fernandez is positioned 16th in the overall standings.

Despite nearly matching his total points from last season with a current score of 46, he secured sixth place at the Catalan GP. This came after he qualified on the front row and led the sprint race, though he ultimately crashed.

It's important to note that his season has been far from simple. Fernandez started the year on the 2023 RS-GP but transitioned to the 2024 chassis during the British Grand Prix. Unfortunately, a crash on the first lap at Silverstone prevented him from completing the race. Later in Austria, a mechanical problem towards the end of the race cost him a chance to earn points.

Despite being just nine points behind his teammate Oliveira, he has equaled his best finish of the season in a grand prix, although Oliveira did secure a sprint podium in Germany. When it comes to qualifying speed, both riders have been quite closely matched. Oliveira leads this contest 6-5, though this doesn’t tell the whole story since Fernandez actually posted the fastest time between them in France but was eliminated in Q1. Across the first 11 rounds, the average difference in their qualifying times is 0.270 seconds, although they have been separated by more than 0.2 seconds on only three occasions.

Fernandez has garnered praise from Trackhouse for his insights and attitude towards the Aprilia project this year. Team owner Justin Marks considers the 23-year-old crucial for the Noale brand's plans for the coming year.

He mentioned to motogp.com that having experienced veterans is highly valuable, particularly in a sport where original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are constantly evolving their bikes, making experience crucial. He believes that Aprilia faces a significant challenge with their four bikes for the next year, as only one rider, Raul, has substantial experience. However, Raul is continually gaining more experience and expanding his understanding of the bike.

"We appreciate his insights and his grasp of the Aprilia bike's development. Although I hesitate to label him a veteran, he's certainly accumulating a wealth of experience. As we look forward to next year, he will have several years with the Aprilia bike under his belt, enabling him to utilize that experience to further its development. Additionally, he can assist Ogura. Overall, I believe this is a favorable arrangement for us currently, and with Raul's dedication, he will be a strong pillar for the team."

It’s evident that Aprilia will rely on Martin to spearhead its efforts as a leading contender in MotoGP in the coming years. However, indications suggest that Fernandez might be its most valuable player by 2025.

After a challenging first season with Tech3 KTM in 2022 and not making significant progress last year with RNF Aprilia, Fernandez has steadily made a positive impression with Trackhouse, earning a well-deserved new contract.

With Aprilia parting ways with Espargaro, who has been a key figure for the team since 2017, the brand faces a significant change. Espargaro, often referred to as the team's 'captain,' has played an essential role in its success. However, if Fernandez can maintain his current trajectory and continue to impress both Aprilia and Trackhouse, he could be a worthy successor to take on this leadership role.

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