Fernandez, 25, held his nerve to clinch the Moto2 title from Ai Ogura at last ye🧜ar’s Valencia finale during his first and only 𝓰season at Red Bull KTM Ajo.

But it had been far from a straightforward journey to the top for the Spaniard, who was expected to🐻 fight for the title when he joined🐲 reigning world champions Marc VDS on the back of three wins for Pons in 2019.

Instead, Fernandez plummeted to 13th in the 2020 standings. 2021 then started with four non-scores from eight races, but Fernandez rebuilt his for🐭m in the second half, when six podiums pulled him up to fifth in the standings and caught the eye ofꦦ Ajo.

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Fernandez has been ranked 👍22nd in both of his MotoGP outings to date, at Valencia last Nov🍸ember and then Sepang in February, but left Malaysia within 0.9s of experienced team-mate Pol Espargaro.

“Well, I’m jumping into MotoGP with this confid𝄹ence ♌of being world champion and it’s good but honestly I don’t know what to expect in terms of positions,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to being comp🐷etitive soon and trying to be in the batt♔le with my team-mate.”

There is always pressure to deliver in MotoGP but perhaps especially so for Fernandez, given KTM has cleared out the Tech3 rider line-up twice in the last two years and former Moto2 team-mate Pedro Acosta is considered a ‘when’ not ‘if’ for a future🐼 RC16 seat.

“I think I am facing the most important year of my career but I know I need to be patient,” said Fernandez, who is understood to have a one-year KTM ✨contract with an option for 2024.

“I am discovering everything that it means to be a MotoGP rider, a factory ri🏅der.

“Buꩲt it’s good to see how many people you have behind you and not just your team; the whole fact🅷ory that is waiting for you and your results.

“Portugal is coming soon and I’m really looking forward to it a꧟nd it’s a drea♚m come true: my debut in MotoGP. I honestly can’t wait.”

The final MotoGP pre-season test takes place at Portimao next weekend, with Fernandez’s first preꦗmier-class race set to be th꧅e Saturday sprint on March 25.