Raul Fernandez Reveals ‘Error Code’ Behind Grid Chaos in Qatar MotoGP
Trackhouse rider Raul Fernandez faced a chaotic situation at the MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix, revealing an “error code” was responsible for the grid chaos that delayed the start.
The weekend started with the team already aware of the long lap penalty Miguel Oliveira would have to serve as a result of the incident in the 2023 version of the event. But even before the red lights went out, Trackhouse’s hopes were dashed when Fernandez, third in morning practice, raised his hand to the grid, forcing the start of the race to be stopped.
After intense discussions with the authorities, Fernandez became the target of boxing. Changing wheels, he resumed the race from the rear of the field and finished 17th before returning to the pits to finish the race.
Expressing his disappointment, Fernandez said: “To be honest, I’m very disappointed. After a very good heat and overall a very good weekend, we were very competitive. On the grid I had a problem with the electronics… I saw the lights on the dashboard and something was wrong.”
Team boss Wilco Seelenberg clarified the technical problem: “Raul had an error code on the dashboard before it went out. After two or three seconds the bike was back to normal, but at that point you have to stop from the grid as soon as possible… [Then] we had to switch to another bike because it was too risky to start with an Error Code.”
However, the accident saga did not end for Fernandez. The used tires were mounted on the spare wheel, which led to more challenges for the Spanish rider.
“I had to switch to another bike that used tires and that pretty much ended my run,” Fernandez said. “I tried to run the race but in the last five laps it was very difficult to control the tyres, I couldn’t drive and I crashed.”
Although Fernandez’s team-mate Oliveira faced a long-lap penalty and finished 19th after a recovery battle, both Trackhouse drivers faced serious challenges this weekend in Qatar.
Despite the difficulties, the team remains optimistic about the opportunities for improvement. Team principal Davide Brivio said: “We leave Qatar knowing that we have the ability to do much better than we did. Portugal will be a very important competition for Miguel. Until then we will analyze everything that happened here and try to improve. can be improved.”
The MotoGP season has just started and Trackhouse hopes to overcome the initial difficulties to show its true potential in the upcoming races.
