GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 entered the points for a long, tough and tire-chewing Grand Prix of Qatar at the Lusail International Circuit after Augusto Fernandez recovered from a tricky race start to enter the top fifteen.
The lights flashed on full-beam for the 16th time at the Lusail International Circuit and Augusto Fernandez attempted to fill the spotlight with a determined dash to 15th.
The Saturday Sprint gave GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 and the rest of the MotoGP teams some valuable data for race set-up and tire choice to tackle the abrasive and difficult new surface at Lusail. Lasting the full 22-lap distance and with the most effective grip was the challenge for many. Augusto Fernandez strained the throttle of the RC16 from 12th on the grid and for the penultimate Grand Prix chase that followed two days of a decent quali and a bright points-scoring Sprint performance. The Spaniard had his sights set on the top ten but a lot of wheelspin away from the dirty grid meant he had to rally through, and his efforts were rewarded by the final point on the night.
AF37 – already set as Rookie of the Year for 2023 prior to the start of the campaign but officially confirmed with the status on Saturday – is 17th in the championship standings and can still reach the top fifteen with a maximum of 25 points left to score.
Augusto Fernández, 15th:
“A shame to finish the GP like this because my pace was strong and I felt a top ten was possible. My start position was good also! So, I feel disappointed. I spun a lot at the start and since then I was struggling. I made a big mistake in Turn 1 and sacrificed a lot of time. All was not lost though, and I was able to recover positions. The result did not come today but with these good feelings and decent speed then I know we are close. Let’s keep pushing.”