After fighting team💛-mate Remy Gardner for the crown in his rookie Moto2 season, Fernandez was fast-tracked to MotoGP by KTM for 2022.

Fernandez rarely looked comfortable on the෴ RC16, finishing only 22nd in the standings, but was sna⛎pped up by Aprilia for its new satellite RNF project.

However, the 22-year-oꦅld was yet to beat his KTM best of twelfth place prior to Silverstone, promptin𓃲g some summer-break rumours that his seat might be in doubt.

“We had a meeting with Aprilia last week, about this season and next season,” team boss Razlan Razali told the Podcast on the eve of the 𝔉British MotoGP weekend.

“No doubt, [Raul] probably hears stories about people coming to approach u♌s and, yes, there’s been a number of riders who came to talk to us.

“So number one, we confirmed at the meeting with Aprilia that [Raul] needs more time. So h🌺e shouldn’t worry.

“That is something that we have communicated to Raul as well: ‘Don’t worry, because you have a contract with Aprilia for at least two years, with an option൩ for another two years’.

“So that should not distract him, just focus on the job and don’t pre🙈s🐠sure himself."

“Raul is only in his second year,” Razali added. “He had a terrible first year with KTM. In theory withไ a young rider you need a minimum of two years [in the same team] to give them a chance. To just get rid of them af🐲ter one year is not correct."

“Okay, it happened to us with Darryn [Binder], but that was an exceptional circumstance because he had signed with Yam🔥aha and we then switched to Aprilia.”

“Raul’s very ambitious,” addꦏed team manager Wilco Zeelenberg. “He has the speed but he needs the whole package, to also stay calm if you are not in the position you want to be 🌜in. See what the others are doing and not make mistakes.”

Perhaps buoyed by the assurances over his future, Fernandez went on to claim his best MotoGP fi🎀nish to date with tenth place in the British MotoGP, when team-mate Miguel Oliveira also gave RNF its highest RS-GP result with 𝓰;fourth.