Raul Fernandez took to the track at the Australian Grand Prix with an Aprilia MotoGP bike stripped of all its aero features, later describing the sensation as if he were \"flying.\" Because of the intense coastal winds at Phillip Island, it is the only venue on the calendar where regulations permit riders to ditch the aero wings. Seizing this opportunity, the satellite Trackhouse team removed all aerodynamic elements, including the fairing wings, for the event.
Despite a disappointing start that saw him drop from a strong sixth on the grid, Fernandez was thrilled with how the 'wingless' bike handled the flowing curves of Phillip Island. Having been in the premier class for three years, this was his first time experiencing a bike without aero. Following the race, the Spaniard noted that they tested the setup on Saturday with great success, explaining that this is the only circuit where such a move is allowed due to the heavy winds.
Sunday's start was rough; Fernandez was quickly swallowed by the pack, crossing the first line in 13th. He fought his way back up to ninth before Fabio Quartararo snatched that spot away in the final moments, leaving him in tenth. Regardless of the final standing, he remained very positive about the raw speed he maintained throughout the race.
\"Riding without the wings felt amazing—I truly felt like I was flying,\" the Spanish rider shared. \"It was an incredible sensation I'd never had before. I appreciated Aprilia's trust in me, and I was happy to act as the guinea pig to help refine the bike. It's been a long time since a motorcycle felt this way,\" he insisted.
The 23-year-old felt his actual pace was strong enough for a fourth-place finish, noting that he was closing in on the leaders toward the end. He felt the team did a great job matching, and eventually exceeding, the speed of Fabio di Giannantonio's group. After discussing the idea on Saturday, the team decided to go for it, providing them with invaluable data for next season's development.
While he admitted the experiment was a bit wild, it yielded useful insights. His biggest frustration, however, was the loss of positions at the start. He emphasized that mastering the start is crucial in MotoGP, noting that excessive wheelies forced him to close the throttle and waste power. This struggle was evident in the sprint race too, where he fell to 11th on lap one before recovering to seventh—later promoted to sixth after Di Giannantonio received a tire pressure penalty on his VR46 Ducati.
On another note, LCR Honda's Johann Zarco felt his bike was finally competitive again after finishing 12th in Australia. The French rider was stunned by his own pace, noting that he spent nearly the entire race under the 1m29s mark. While thrilled with the speed, Zarco admitted he is still battling limitations with the bike's turning ability and traction control, forcing him to be conservative and lose ground to his rivals.