Augusto Fernandez will lose his job at KTM next season, but it looks like Yamaha may be able to offer him a chance to stay on the team.
After two seasons with the Tech3 team and three with the KTM family, Augusto Fernandez is on his way out. The Spanish rider won the Moto2 championship in 2022 with the Red Bull KTM Ajo team and has only ever ridden with the Tech3 KTM team in MotoGP.
However, there will be no place for Fernandez at KTM in 2025. Pedro Acosta will move to the factory team, while Enea Bastianini and Maverick Vinales will join Tech3.
This has since been reported by Motorsport.com Yamaha is in talks with Fernandez. But not as a racer, but as a test rider. This means the Spaniard will join Cal Crutchlow in the development of the Yamaha M1.
Yamaha sporting director Massimo Meregalli told Motorsport.com that Fernandez is the type of rider they want alongside Crutchlow on the test team.
“We want to strengthen the test team and bring in a rider, but we are not thinking about a veteran or a retired rider. We want a young guy who wants to do a lot of laps and we can make the most of the testing that the concessions allow us. That doesn’t mean we won’t have Crutchlow, who will continue to be part of the team and will return to work when he recovers.”
Fernandez also told Motorsport.com he is talking to Yamaha about a test rider role, should he not be able to secure a MotoGP ride or a competitive opportunity in WorldSBK.
“We are talking to them. If nothing comes of it on this track or in SBK, which is difficult, it would be a good exit for me. I always think about the opportunity to grow as a rider to come back to a team full-time in the future.”
