Raul Fernandez has been declared fit to ride in the Malaysian MotoGP, but his return is not yet guaranteed for the whole Sepang weekend. The Trackhouse Aprilia rider will use Friday’s FP1 session as a practical test before deciding whether he can continue, after saying that his injured fingers now feel worse than they did when he broke them in Indonesia.

The injury happened in a first-corner crash during the Indonesian MotoGP Sprint. Fernandez rode the following day and finished second, only revealing afterwards that he had broken two fingers; he had initially reported just one fracture. Two weeks later he withdrew from the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island. One week on from that, he has been cleared to attempt a return in Malaysia.

Fernandez believes the symptoms may have deteriorated because he tried to remain on the bike from Indonesia onwards, leaving insufficient time for recovery. A check with his doctor found that the fracture is still present, although the bone is healing. He said the decision after FP1 will depend on whether he feels comfortable and can ride properly, rather than on the initial medical clearance alone.

Sepang will put more pressure on the injured hand

The circuit’s braking demands make that assessment particularly important. Fernandez compared Sepang with Phillip Island and Mandalika, where he identified two especially hard braking zones. Malaysia has four or five very hard braking areas to manage, creating a different challenge for his fingers and the brakes. He therefore expects the track to be less forgiving than the venues at which the injury began to affect his season.

Fernandez said his team is supporting him and that he will take the decision realistically with the doctor. If he cannot ride comfortably or effectively, he is prepared to stop for the weekend and concentrate on recovering for the next round, even though he would naturally prefer to remain on the bike. He estimates that he could be around 90% fit in a week, while stressing that 90% would not necessarily mean a complete return to 100%.

The rider also made clear that Aprilia’s fight for the riders’ championship is not his immediate concern. Jorge Martin’s title challenge was damaged in Australia when he crashed in the Sprint, losing 12 points to Marc Marquez and breaking his right wrist. Fernandez said his priority is recovering his fingers. He also pointed to Trackhouse’s strong chance of finishing in the top three of the teams’ championship, making his own recovery and the team’s season the focus if he does return to the track.