Trackhouse boss reacts to "strange" Raul Fernandez crash in Sepang

Trackhouse MotoGP team boss Davide Brivio says Raul Fernandez’s test-ending crash at Sepang  was “a little bit strange”.

In a dramatic first day of the pre-season for Aprilia, which also saw reigning world champion Jorge Martin taken to hospital after a heavy crash, Fernandez has been declared unfit to continue after an off at Turn 9.

Fernandez suffered a fractured metacarpal bone in his left hand as well as a broken pinkie toe, and is now heading back to Barcelona for surgery.

“Actually, it’s a little bit strange because he was calm, he was taking his time,” Brivio told MotoGP’s After the Flag.

“But unfortunately he had a crash, entering into Turn 9 on braking.

“Now he has suffered a fracture of his left hand. We’re sending him back to Barcelona and he will try to get the surgery as soon as possible.

“In his head he would like to be back for Thailand - you know riders.

“But let’s see, we’ll listen to what the doctors say, how the surgery goes. We will make all of the exams and we will know more in the coming days what’s going on.”

Trackhouse comment on Raul Fernandez return

Fernandez also missed all of the first pre-season test last year due to a crash.

“Of course, he wants to be there [at the Buriram test] because Raul says he had a similar injury three, four years ago,” Brivio added.

“In only less than a week he was back on a bike, and I think he won a race.

“So, he hopes he can do the same. But, as I say, he’s going back to Barcelona, I think he will go to Dr [Xavier] Mir for the surgery, we will listen to what he says and go for further assessments and see how things are going.”

Martin’s condition is not yet known, but Aprilia could face the prospect of completing the Sepang test with only two of its four race riders.

Despite this, Brivio says rookie Ai Ogura’s testing programme won’t change. 

“No change,” he said of Ogura, who was 16th at the end of day one after 58 laps.

“We are also quite pleased on how we’re working with him, how he’s approaching this MotoGP.

“We say it’s kind of a schooling, what he’s doing now. There’s so many things he needs to learn, to understand, to know, to discover.

“That’s what we’re doing. Today, after three days of shakedown, we’re working more on used tyres, electronic setting, trying to get the feeling, how the bike is when the tyres drop - things like that.

“Many things to learn, but it’s nice to see him approach it. He’s very calm, he ask questions, tries to understand. So far, so good.”