Trackhouse MotoGP boss Justin Marks has praised Raul Fernandez for the maturity he showed while waiting for clarity over his future with the team.
Fernandez’s 2027 situation became uncertain after team-mate Ai Ogura made the surprise decision to move to the factory Yamaha team. Trackhouse was then forced to reassess its plans for the following season, while the departure of team director Davide Brivio to HRC added another complication.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding his future, Fernandez continued to deliver on track. The Spaniard ended a five-race podium drought with a Sprint victory at Mugello, before securing a new deal with Trackhouse.
Since his future was resolved, Fernandez has taken his form to another level. Over the past three rounds, he has claimed a Grand Prix victory, another Sprint win and two additional Sunday podiums, establishing himself as one of the riders in the best form in MotoGP.
Marks believes Fernandez deserves credit for maintaining his focus while his contract situation remained unresolved.
“It shows the maturity and the fact that he is truly becoming a professional athlete,” Marks said.
Marks explained that Ogura’s decision caught Trackhouse by surprise and forced the team to quickly determine its plans for 2027.
“We didn’t expect Ai to make the decision that he made, at the time that he did it,” Marks said.
“So we went to work figuring out what our future looked like on that side of the garage.”
While the team worked through its options, Fernandez was understandably eager to know where he stood.
“At the same time, Raul was like, ‘Hey, where’s my contract?’” Marks recalled.
Rather than allowing the uncertainty to affect his performances, Fernandez continued to produce results and ultimately earned the new deal he was waiting for.
His recent surge has transformed the Spaniard’s position within the Trackhouse project, with his combination of consistency and outright pace making him one of the standout riders of the 2026 MotoGP season.
