Raul Fernandez’s triumphant return to the MotoGP podium at the Qatar Grand Prix was overshadowed by a bitter frustration over fuel management, as Marc Marquez pounced late to snatch second place from the Trackhouse rider. Fernandez, recovering from finger injuries, surged from fourth to second behind leader Marco Bezzecchi on the opening lap and attempted to conserve fuel by drafting closely behind his fellow Aprilia competitor. Despite his tactical efforts, Fernandez admitted his fuel consumption was too high to keep Marquez at bay.
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“I’m really happy to be back on the podium,” Fernandez acknowledged. “To be honest, I didn’t expect to come here and fight for the podium. The target was just to see how the fingers were.” He continued, “I didn’t really feel pain on the track. I was focused on following Marco, doing my job, and trying to save fuel.” However, the plan faltered as fuel issues escalated, forcing him into a defensive battle.
For sure, I am a little bit frustrated
“For sure, I am a little bit frustrated because at the beginning of the race I tried to stay behind Marco to save fuel, but I was not able,” Fernandez explained. “After six or seven laps, I started to have too many problems with the fuel. Then I tried to keep the gap with Marc, but I didn’t really do a good job at the beginning of the race because I wasn’t able to save enough fuel to keep Marc behind me.” Marquez eventually overtook Fernandez with a margin of 0.531 seconds at the flag.
“When Marc passed, I just tried to stay with him because before the end of the season, I want to fight with him until the end,” Fernandez added, signaling his competitive mindset despite the setback. When probed on where Bezzecchi made the decisive difference, Fernandez pointed to both technical and mental factors: “Especially the last corner. I had too many problems preparing for the main straight, and maybe this was the big difference. Also, I didn’t have a lot of expectation before the weekend, whereas he came here with a very strong mentality.”
The result solidifies Fernandez’s position in seventh place in the World Championship with two rounds remaining. Meanwhile, his teammate Ai Ogura mounted an impressive late charge to finish fourth, showcasing the strength within the Trackhouse squad. Fernandez’s immediate challenge now revolves around mastering fuel strategy to fend off relentless contenders like Marquez in the closing stages of races.
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