Yamaha moves into Europe

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.

The other Japanese manufacturers already have teams based full-time in Europe, with Honda employing former Moto2 champion Stefan

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.

Strong rumours surfaced before the Brno race linking the retiring Dani Pedrosa with a possible KTM testing role next year.

By Gordon Ritchie