RAUL FERNANDEZ’S AGENT SAYS MULTIPLE TEAMS TURNED HIM DOWN BEFORE TRACKHOUSE RENEWAL

Raul Fernandez’s recent surge for Trackhouse has brought attention to the rider’s form, but his path to securing his future in MotoGP has been far from smooth. According to comments from his agent, Paco Sanchez, the Spaniard faced a difficult start to the season not only on track, but also in the contract process for a potential 2027 seat.

Sanchez told Diario AS that Fernandez experienced a level of rejection he had never seen before, despite the results he was producing. “I had never experienced a situation like this with a rider of this calibre, achieving the results he was getting. Every door we knocked on was met with a rejection: a contract or a renewal for next year.” He added that as the season progressed, the pressure intensified. “Then, of course, the situation worsened as the races went by. He continued to perform well despite a shoulder injury that hampered him in several races.”

The agent also pointed to the mental strain caused by misfortune. “Then he had some bad luck in others, with a crash that wasn’t his fault, but it took him out. When you’re in that situation, you start to doubt everything.” Sanchez said that doubt grew as the rider began to look around at the wider MotoGP landscape, including the possibility of other riders being dropped and the ongoing discussion around passport-related matters. “You start to think you don’t have a place here, you see so many riders who are going to be dropped, you also see a lot of talk about passport issues, the flag… So he started to worry, and there was a moment when he was genuinely thinking he already had one foot out of the championship.”

Fernandez’s turnaround ultimately changed the tone of negotiations. Sanchez said the situation shifted dramatically just a couple of races earlier, when Trackhouse moved from uncertainty to active interest. “The situation changed dramatically two races ago. From having nothing, Trackhouse suddenly showed real interest in renewing his contract.”

Interest also came from other quarters. Sanchez revealed that an offer from KTM arrived, which he said helped significantly during the decision-making process. “An offer from KTM also came in, which helped a lot, because Raul ultimately had the option of going to Tech3 or staying with Trackhouse. He chose to continue with his current team, and well, here we are.”

The reporting also notes that KTM opposed a Tech3 move for Fernandez, a factor that may have influenced the final outcome. While Guenther Steiner was reportedly keen on bringing Fernandez to Tech3, the team’s satellite relationship with KTM may have limited their ability to pursue the rider without creating complications.

Fernandez’s British Grand Prix win provided a timely vindication for the renewal decision. The article describes the victory as a surprise to some, especially since he was not viewed as a favourite entering the weekend. It was only his second MotoGP race win, and it came after a strong start and a mistake from pole-sitter Jorge Martin. With Fernandez now re-signed with Trackhouse, the win and the contract story together underline how quickly fortunes can change in MotoGP—both on the grid and behind the scenes.