FERNÁNDEZ TAKES SECOND AT PHILLIP ISLAND DESPITE INJURY CONCERNS

Raul Fernandez secured direct passage to Q2 at Phillip Island with the second-fastest time on Friday, finishing behind Aprilia teammate Marco Bezzecchi. But the result came after a heavy morning crash, and the Trackhouse rider said he was sore and worried about how his body would feel as the weekend continued.

The crash came on Fernandez’s 25th birthday. Asked whether the fall or the birthday made him feel older, he joked: “Both. So it’s like I’ve had two birthdays.” He then described the day as difficult: “I had a heavy crash this morning. Now I feel stiff and my body hurts. That means I’ll probably feel even worse tomorrow.” He is also still dealing with two fractured fingers sustained at Mandalika.

After FP1, Fernandez focused on avoiding Q1, particularly with a major change in the forecast expected. Rain, stronger winds and cooler temperatures could make Friday’s data less useful, he said, meaning “everything will be new again” in the next session. He also tried to conserve energy, explaining that his reserves were limited and he wanted to save strength for qualifying, the sprint and Sunday’s race.

Wet conditions may not suit him. Because of his finger injury, Fernandez has had to use a different finger for braking, leaving him short of precision. “In the wet you have to be very calm and very precise, so I don’t think it will help me,” he said. He noted that riding movements are less aggressive in the rain, but added that it would be his first wet track session of the year and the team would need to see how the bike setup worked.

His concern extends beyond Australia to next week’s Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang. Phillip Island has only two braking zones that put significant strain on his injured finger; Sepang has many more hard braking points. “The biggest problem for me is hard braking,” Fernandez said. “In Sepang there are a lot of hard braking manoeuvres. You have to use the brake very well.”

He expects some improvement by then, but not a full recovery. “It will certainly be a little better than now, but not at 100 percent. Honestly, I’m a bit afraid of Sepang,” he admitted.

Aprilia’s Friday pace was strong, with four RS-GP machines inside the top five and Ducati’s Marc Marquez the only rider to split them, in third. Asked whether there had been further discussion within the team about orders or instructions, Fernandez replied diplomatically: “I try to be a gentleman with everyone.”