BACK TO EUROPE: GASGAS FACTORY RACING TECH3 HEADS TO ICONIC JEREZ CIRCUIT FOR SPANISH GRAND PRIX
It is time for MotoGP™ to start its European tour, and the first stop of GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 is nowhere else than at the iconic Circuito de Jerez-Ángel Nieto, which will host the Gran Premio de España, the fourth round of this 2023 campaign.
After scoring his first MotoGP™ Top 10 in Austin, in addition to closing the third race out of three in the points, rookie Augusto Fernandez will be looking forward to coming back to more familiar tracks, and Jerez is without a doubt one that the Spaniard will have the most experience on. However, hitting the iconic Andalousian layout with a MotoGP™ machine will be a different story, but the three past weekends have proven that Augusto has adapted surprisingly well to the tracks with his GASGAS RC16. With fifteen points in the bag, he will look to continue his progress in the category, with the objectives to reduce the gap with the other riders, and why not finishing in higher positions in both the Tissot sprint on Saturday, and the race on Sunday.
On the other side of the garage, German Jonas Folger will once again line up with GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 as captain Pol Espargaro continues his recovery at home. The number 94 made an impressive comeback at the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas for his first race in MotoGP™ in six years, as he finished twelfth and scored points for his adoptive team. He will head to Jerez with more experience on the RC16, and his good memories from the past at the circuit (Moto2™ win in 2015) should help him heading to Spain with even more enthusiasm. Folger will also participate in the Official Jerez MotoGP™ Test, on Monday, May 1st.
Don’t miss the action from the Spanish Grand Prix with Practice 1 starting at 10:45 local time (GMT+2), followed by the one hour long Practice 2 at 15:00. The first highlights of the weekend will already be on Saturday morning just after the free practice, with the qualifying sessions kicking off at 10:50. Rookie Augusto Fernandez will line up for the first time in MotoGP™ on home turf for the Tissot Sprint, at 15:00 (GMT+2). Finally, all eyes will be on Sunday’s race, scheduled at 14:00 local time, and both GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 riders will look to fly the flag of Spanish brand GASGAS as high as possible.
Augusto Fernandez
Championship: 15th
Points: 14
“I can not wait to go to Jerez for the Spanish Grand Prix. To be honest, I am really looking forward to being back in Europe on tracks that I know better, at least much more than Austin for example. Continuing our progression is our main goal, but I am hoping that my level of knowledge of this track will help me to be closer to the other guys and fight for higher positions.”
Jonas Folger
Championship: 21st
Points: 4
“With Texas in the bag, we have a bit more experience with the bike and the team now, so I feel confident about going to Jerez. It is a familiar track to me and I have good memories there from the past, including a win in Moto2 and a podium in the 125cc category. It is definitely one of my favorite tracks, so I am looking forward to going racing there with my team and more confidence, and hopefully we can make a good result.”
Nicholas Goyon, Team Manager
“We are back racing in Europe for the fourth round of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship, and we are starting the European tour at the iconic Andalousian circuit in Jerez. After an impressive start to his rookie season and his first top 10 in Austin, Augusto Fernandez will aim to achieve a strong result at his first home race in MotoGP. According to the last tests made in Jerez back in March, the Pierer Mobilty machine seems to have made some significant steps and we are all looking forward to discovering them in Jerez this week. On the other side of the garage, Jonas Folger will once again line up with us while Pol Espargaro carries on with his recovery. Jonas scored strong points in Austin for his comeback in the category and will aim to continue in this direction. He will also help the GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 team to develop the bike as he will attend the Jerez Test with us on Monday, May 1st.”
