Yamaha is to follow its rivals introducing a Europe-based MotoGP test team next year, with former Monster Yamaha rider Jonas Folger pencilled in as test rider.
Folger, San Marino MotoGP 2017
The other Japanese manufacturers already have teams based full-time in Europe, with Honda employing former Moto2 champion Stefan
Bradl, Misano WSBK 2017
in 2018 in this role; and Suzuki having employed former World Superbike Champion Sylvain Guintoli last year and this.
Europe-based Ducati have long employed Michele Pirro as their official tester; KTM runs a full-time team around Mika Kallio. Aprilia has a lower-profile test squad currently concentrating on endurance-testing of components, but is also anxious to move up to a faster rider to add a more meaningful chassis and suspension development role to supplement the feedback from the racing riders, as project leader Romano Albesiano explained.
“You need to find a fast rider; we need to make this step, and we are looking and hope to find a real MotoGP rider,” he said.
Current team rider Scott Redding is earmarked for the role, although the Englishman would prefer to continue racing, and is contemplating a return to the Moto2 class, where he was a strong championship challenger in 2013.
Redding, Austrian MotoGP 2017
Strong rumours surfaced before the Brno race linking the retiring Dani Pedrosa with a possible KTM testing role next year.
Pedrosa, Dutch MotoGP 2018
By Gordon Ritchie