Raul Fernandez: 'Almost perfect start, a dream come true'

Raul Fernandez is living the 'dream' in Moto2 this season. The 20-year-old made an immediate impact with second on the grid for his class debut in Qatar, hotly followed by a podium next time out and then victory at round three.

It had taken Fernandez 42 races to notch up two wins in the Moto3 class, but he needed just five starts to reach the same tally on the Triumph-powered machine.

By the summer break Fernandez had reached three wins and six podiums from nine rounds, the only blot in his copybook being a fall while chasing Red Bull KTM Ajo team-mate and title leader Remy Gardner at Sachsenring.

“It has been an incredible first half of the year," Fernandez said. "If we take away the mistake we made at the German GP, it was an almost perfect start, considering that I was new to the class. Our results have been a dream come true, and I'm very happy about it."

“For me, the best moment was Assen," he added. "After making a mistake in Germany, getting the victory in the way that we did, fighting back in the race, gave me a lot of self-confidence. I can't think of a better way to end the first half of the year."

The Sachsenring mistake has left the Spaniard a sizeable 36-points behind Gardner, but four pole positions for Fernandez in the last five races means the Australian could well have a fight on his hands.

“Remy is a very experienced rider who has been in the Moto2 class for several seasons. I learned a lot from him at the beginning of the year. Now we are both at the top and it's nice that two team-mates find themselves in this situation. However, Remy is very strong and it is not easy to beat him," Fernandez said.

“What I would like to improve the most is my experience, but that is something that can only be done by completing races and putting kilometres under my belt.

“The objective will be to keep winning races. In the end that is what gives me the motivation to give one hundred percent in each session, and what makes me enjoy this sport the most."

While Gardner is already confirmed as moving up to MotoGP next season with Tech3 KTM, Fernandez has been at the centre of speculation over a possible premier-class move of his own.

Aprilia, Tech3 KTM and Yamaha have all been rumoured destinations, although the man himself insists he expects to remain in Moto2 for a further season...