Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) is the 2022 Moto2™ World Champion! After a dramatic finale at the Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana that saw sole remaining rival Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) crash out, the Spaniard was already Champion before the flag – and came through to take second and secure the crown in style with a podium.
Fernandez won the European Junior Cup in 2014 and competed in Superstock 600 thereafter, where he achieved a victory in 2015. He was fifth in the Moto2™ European Championship the following year as he moved onto new machinery, and he started the next season with a podium. That year, 2017, also saw Fernandez called up to make his Grand Prix debut at the 2017 Italian GP with Speed Up.
Despite scoring points, he initially didn’t get a ride in the Grand Prix paddock for 2018 and returned to European level but not long after, everything changed. Looking for a rider mid-season, the Pons Moto2™ squad picked Fernandez to return to the World Championship and he didn’t disappoint, starting to bank top eight and top ten performances.
2019 was a huge turning point. Despite some injury struggles early in the year with a broken wrist, Fernandez was back with a bang as he returned at Jerez and took his first Grand Prix podium. Another followed at Le Mans before a first Grand Prix victory at the classic TT Circuit Assen, backed up by two more at Silverstone and Misano. His title challenge faded towards the end of the season and 2020 proved a more difficult year with no podiums, but Fernandez worked his way back towards the front in 2021, returning to the rostrum by Assen and ending the year fifth overall to sign off from Elf Marc VDS Racing Team.
In new colours with Red Bull KTM Ajo, 2022 didn’t get off to the perfect start as Fernandez didn’t visit the podium until Le Mans, but that was a win and the eventual Champion was back in the groove. A second podium at Catalunya then prefaced three wins in a row as Fernandez began his title assault in earnest, and his form remained consistent to the end of the season barring one mistake at Phillip Island. At the time potentially pivotal, a fourth place next time out at Sepang as rival Ogura crashed out saw the number 37 retain the lead and arrive into the season finale as the rider ahead – by 9.5 points.
In a tense final showdown, both Fernandez and Ogura were fighting it out in the front positions before the Japanese rider slid out – guaranteeing Fernandez the Championship. Pressure off, the number 37 then chased teammate and Rookie of the Year Pedro Acosta home, within six tenths at the start of the final lap and taking a ninth podium of the season to celebrate the crown in style.