Augusto Fernandez is set to return to the MotoGP grid this weekend, with the Spaniard making his fourth wildcard appearance of the 2026 season for Yamaha at the British Grand Prix.
The 2022 Moto2 world champion has already raced at Jerez, Barcelona and Assen this season as part of Yamaha’s test programme. He has collected five points from those appearances, finishing 12th at the Catalan Grand Prix and 15th in the Netherlands.
Fernandez will now get another opportunity to compete at Silverstone, a circuit where he has enjoyed considerable success in Moto2. He won at the British track in 2019 before claiming another victory there in 2022 on his way to the Moto2 world title.
Source: Yamaha Racing
The Spaniard is not expected to challenge for the leading positions given his limited time racing at MotoGP level since the end of the 2024 season, along with Yamaha's current performance deficit. His main focus will instead be on helping the manufacturer gather valuable information under race conditions.
Fernandez said he was pleased to be back on the grid after the summer break and eager to continue contributing to Yamaha's development work.
Silverstone's fast and flowing layout is also one he enjoys, giving him a positive outlook heading into the weekend.
For Fernandez, the goal is simple. He wants to find his pace as quickly as possible and provide Yamaha with as much useful data as he can throughout the weekend.
The British Grand Prix will also mark another important opportunity for Yamaha to evaluate its progress, with full-time riders Fabio Quartararo and Jack Miller both hoping the manufacturer can take another step forward.
Fernandez's wildcard appearance is therefore about more than simply returning to racing. With limited wildcard opportunities remaining before the rules change in 2027, every outing gives Yamaha another chance to gather data and accelerate the development of its MotoGP project.
