Fermin Aldeguer is slowly starting to build some MotoGP momentum during his rookie season with Gresini after a turbulent start to the campaign.
The 20-year-old completes an all-Spanish line-up at Gresini, who are one of just three teams to have won a race in 2025.
The factory Ducati team and LCR are the other two outfits to have reached the top step, but their victory at Jerez was one of the more memorable ones for Alex Marquez.
The most recent race at Le Mans was special for Aldeguer because he secured his first podium with a late move on close rival Pedro Acosta, with whom he has history.
Aldeguer admitted one problem has ‘affected’ Gresini, but they have shown signs of working around their issues recently.
After a difficult start to the season, where Aldeguer struggled ‘too much’, he has managed to rise to eighth in the MotoGP standings, far from poor for a rookie.
Fermin Aldeguer could hear the ‘screams’ of French fans in Fabio Quartararo battle at Le Mans
A record attendance at the Grand Prix of France created a phenomenal atmosphere for Aldeguer to secure his maiden podium.
On the Saturday in the sprint, he found himself battling the home hero – Fabio Quartararo, which he soon found out was a big deal to the fans.
“Yeah, I already said it. I mean, whoever was fighting for the podium [on Sunday], that overtaking, I was going to enjoy it. It’s true that Pedro and I have that rivalry, that respect between us,” he said.
“But, I don’t think we were playing in the same conditions either, we weren’t using the same tyres. I was coming in with much more pace, it wasn’t a one-on-one battle. In which it has been shown who has been the best at that time.
“Whoever the rider was, I was going to enjoy it just as much as I did in the sprint with Fabio when we were at his house, right? And you could even hear it on the TV when I watched it. Then you heard those screams.”
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Why Fermin Aldeguer could be a MotoGP championship contender in 2026
Judging by the rate of improvement that Aldeguer has experienced this season, he might be winning races by the end of the year.
He looked a bit lost in his first few races, but after working hard and learning from his teammate, he has come a long way already.
Aldeguer ‘hit out’ at unjustified noise earlier in the season, after criticism over his performances while his teammate was finishing second at every race.
However, it’s important to remember that he’s just a rookie and needs time to ease into the role. The maturity is there, and if he continues like this, there’s no reason why he can’t do what Marquez has done this year in 2026.
