Augusto Fernandez has conceded that he needs to make substantial changes to his riding style following his MotoGP debut in the post-season Valencia test last week.
Fernandez – who secured the Moto2 world championship with a run to second in last weekend’s Valencia Grand Prix – managed to capture the second berth at the Tech 3 KTM – to be known as GasGas in 2023 – squad after it elected to part way with ’22 rookie duo Remy Gardner and Raul Fernandez.
The Spaniard had his first taste of KTM’s RC16 machine at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo circuit last week, culminating in a total of 83 laps completed with a best lap of 1:31.730s, an effort good enough for 22nd overall and just under a second adrift of Gardner’s Valencian GP qualifying time on the fastest of the Tech 3 entries.
Fernandez felt he was able to go some way to creating a good “base” for his rookie campaign next season, though admitted that he would be looking to make changes to his riding style to get the most from the RC16 with his style currently highly-moulded to that of his Kalex Moto2 machine, something he could ascertain by comparing his data to that of new team-mate Pol Espargaro.
“The running was good a helpful part of our learning process, we managed to do a great job building our base for next year,” explained Fernandez.
“Of course there are a lot of things to work on, but I’m already looking forward to the next test.
“I need to change (riding style) a lot (compared to Moto2), this is something I’ve realised as MotoGP has different things compared to Moto2, it was good to have Pol (Espargaro) on the other side of the garage so that I could compare all the data.
“I was comparing myself to him with all the laps I did and I need to change some things that I did in Moto2 that aren’t working here, but I’m looking forward to training in the winter to find this new style.”
Having never sampled a premier class prototype before taking to the controls of the KTM, Fernandez says that he found the experience “amazing”, the seven-time Moto2 race winner earmarking the bike’s brakes, power and ability to “trust the tyres” as the main differences versus his intermediate class steed.
“It was amazing, there are a lot of emotions but it was really fun and I enjoyed every lap, I am super happy with day,” continued Fernandez.
“Everything (was a surprise), the power was amazing, the first time I went onto the main straight and I opened the throttle was incredible.
“Every gear you pull there is more power, even in sixth gear you wheelie.
“The brakes were also amazing, as was how much you can trust the tyres, it was unbelievable.”
