Raul Fernandez: what more does he have to do to stay in MotoGP? "He doesn't have a contract for 2027

The Spanish rider was the best of all in the Sprint at the TT Circuit and reaffirmed his worth; however, his manager revealed that there is still no deal for 2027.

Aprilia is superior to Ducati and the other manufacturers at Assen, but in the MotoGP sprint race at Assen it was the SuperFile Trackhouse team bikes that shone. Raul Fernandez clinched an important victory: after starting from the fourth spot on the grid, he made smart overtakes to take the lead and then managed the rest of the race perfectly. Keeping teammate Ai Ogura behind wasn’t easy, but he pulled it off.

For Sunday’s full race, it’s inevitable to count him among the favorites, even if it should be tougher. With 26 laps to run and the medium rear instead of the soft, anything can happen. Aprilia seems to have something extra compared to Ducati, but the reigning world champions should never be underestimated.

The Madrid-born rider had a disappointment in Qualifying, as for a moment he had set the fastest time and then lost pole position for touching the green. Time deleted, so he had to start fourth. Interviewed by Sky Sport MotoGP, he admitted he needed a hand to get over that disappointment: "I want to thank Brivio, because it’s the second or third time something like this has happened to me and he knows how to manage me by changing my mindset, putting the focus on the Sprint. I’m super happy, it’s the first time Trackhouse takes first and second, you couldn’t ask for more."

Team principal Davide Brivio was live alongside him and spoke warmly about him, recalling all the work they’ve done together over the years and reiterating that the Spaniard has great potential to harness and not waste. Fernandez replied: "I’m close to tears. He came in at a very delicate moment in my career, he started putting everything in order and I’m grateful to him for helping me so much. He was the right person, telling me things to my face."

Raul is aware of his value; he grew between 2025 and 2026, though he knows he still has to keep working for the future: "I think I’m strong, but there are many strong riders in MotoGP, it’s the best championship in the world. It’s hard to fight with them, but when I have everything in place I can be fast. Today we won, but for the race we need to work and try again."

His manager Paco Sanchez also spoke to Sky Sport MotoGP, denying that Fernandez has already signed a contract extension with the SuperFile Trackhouse team: "Incredible, but we still don’t have any contract for 2027. He’s really an option for the team, but only yesterday a first offer arrived and we need to discuss it with Francesco Guidotti. I think he should continue with Trackhouse, because he’s doing a fantastic job. I don’t know what more he has to do to guarantee himself a seat for next year. That’s the situation, today we don’t have any contract."

Should results like today’s be good guarantees to stay in MotoGP? Sanchez replies: "It should be like that... He finished last season well and he’s doing well this year too. He’s always up front; in Brno he was ill with appendicitis and still finished seventh. I don’t know what more he has to do. Maybe he has to win 10 races in a row to deserve a contract?"

After a period of uncertainty, it seemed that Trackhouse had finally decided to confirm him for 2027 as well. However, the negotiation has not yet reached the signing stage. According to some rumors, Justin Marks’ team has offered a one-year contract, while the rider and his manager would prefer a two-year deal. Talks are ongoing and there is confidence that a green light can be reached fairly soon.

Sky Sport MotoGP revealed that the KTM Tech3 team would be ready to offer Fernandez a two-year contract. It would be a return, since the Madrid native already raced for that squad in his debut year in the top class. It was a real nightmare, with many difficulties being competitive on the RC16 and very poor results.

It would be a bit surprising to see him racing again for KTM Tech3, which in the meantime no longer has Hervé Poncharal as owner. A consortium of investors led by Guenther Steiner has taken over; they appreciate Raul’s performance and are also in talks with Luca Marini. A confirmation for Maverick Vinales looks difficult; he has harshly criticized KTM for changing its mind after initially guaranteeing him a seat for 2027.

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