Published: 07 Aug 2024
As a Last Resort - Is Augusto Fernandez on the Cusp of Joining Yamaha?
Augusto Fernandez is in serious danger of losing his MotoGP seat for 2025. A stint at Yamaha seems to be his last resort – as a test rider.
Augusto Fernandez finished the races in Silverstone in 13th and 16th place as he was once again denied championship points. The 26-year-old Spaniard continues to barely get a foot on the ground in 2024 and lags behind teammmate Pedro Acosta and the other KTM riders.
The 2024 record of the 2022 Moto2 World Champion is anything but glorious. After a solid rookie season with highltight like his 4th place at Le Mans, Fernandez is struggling to meet expectations in 2024. An 11th place finish in Portimao simply isn’t enough to justify a contract extension with Tech3 or frankly any seat on the 2025 grid.
However after the British GP at SIlverstone a back door for the Madrid-born, Mallorca-based rider has emerged: Fernandez could take over the job of test rider at Yamaha in place of Cal Crutchlow.
The 38-year-old Crutchlow was last on track at a private Yamaha test in Mugello. Since then, regular riders Alex Rins and Fabio Quartararo had to complete the workload alone after the Brit has injured his wrist and is yet to be cleared to ride motorcycles. Most recently, Crutchlow was replaced by Remy Gardner for the Brit’s Silverstone wildcard.
It is a fact that Yamaha urgently needs reliable and, above all, hungry manpower in their race to catch up with the top runners of MotoGP.
If he wants to keep himself in the game, a test rider role might be the best Augusto Fernandez can find for now. At his age and with some possible MotoGP wildcards in the future on hand, the Spaniard would stay close to the premier class paddock and could be able to secure another stint as full-time rider in the near future.
