Front-row start (P3), two podiums, and cool-headed race craft set up a winner-takes-all finale at Mugello (Oct 4–5).
It was the kind of weekend you build championships on. From Thursday through Sunday Imola delivered perfect conditions—dry track and ~28°C (~82°F) ambient—and Jayden Fernandez put together a precise, professional performance on a circuit universally regarded as one of the trickiest to master on a motorcycle.
- Qualifying
Seeing Imola for the first time, Fernandez adapted fast and qualified P3, securing a front-row start for both races.
- Race 1 (Saturday)
A lightning launch put Fernandez in the lead within the opening corners. A three-rider group formed (Fernandez–Mattei–Benetti) and traded blows until an error dropped Benetti out of contention with five laps to go. Fernandez and Mattei then ran a relentless pace to the flag, with Fernandez finishing P2 after a hard, clean fight.
Race 1
- Race 2 (Sunday)
Same script off the line: Fernandez holeshot to P1, while Mattei’s slow start left him back in sixth. Fernandez and Benetti broke away, lapping in the low 1:59s and opening clear air to the chasers. Mid-race the pace escalated: both riders set their fastest laps of the weekend— Benetti 1:58.0, Fernandez 1:58.2—six to eight tenths quicker than their qualifying times. Jayden controlled the race until the final lap, when Benetti slipped by at Rivazza 1. Fernandez tried to repay the move at the final chicane but couldn’t quite make it stick— another strong P2.
Race 2
With the Imola results, Fernandez now leads the standings by 12 points over Mattei. The title will be decided at the Mugello finale on October 4–5.
Jayden Fernandez — rider quote:
“It was a very positive weekend and I’m happy with my performances—especially because I gained a few more points on my main rival. I arrive at Mugello ready to manage the 12-point lead, but I won’t change my approach. No ‘cruising’—I’ll keep building the weekend step by step with the goal to improve and be the fastest every time I go out. Big thanks to my parents for their incredible support, to my sister, and to the whole Team MMR for the great work we did together.”