FERNANDEZ SAYS YAMAHA’S 2027 PROTOTYPE FEELS LIKE A DIFFERENT BRAND

Augusto Fernandez says Yamaha’s 2027 850cc MotoGP prototype is so unlike the current V4 that adapting between the two feels almost like changing manufacturers.

The Spaniard is back in the premier-class paddock as a stand-in for injured Pramac Yamaha rider Toprak Razgatlioglu. The opportunity has also put him in the spotlight as a Yamaha test rider, developing the machine for the next rules era. He said progress was being made, with upcoming tests crucial to settling the package for Valencia and giving Yamaha’s engineers in Japan a clear winter development plan.

Fernandez stressed that the new bike differs from the current 1000cc V4 not only because it uses different tyres. “It looks like it’s not a Yamaha anymore. It’s like swapping brands almost,” he said. The contrast, he added, will make his race-weekend adjustment difficult. Changes to the ride-height devices and other systems add to the challenge, so he intends to stay calm as he gets used to the current machine.

MotoGP riders have completed two tests on the future bikes and Pirelli tyres, but public feedback has been limited. Official lap times are not expected to be available until the Valencia test in December.

Fernandez will continue his 850cc development work while replacing Razgatlioglu for the remaining rounds, sharing the testing effort with Andrea Dovizioso. “I’ll do both! So super busy,” he said. Dovizioso is helping, but Fernandez remains involved in the tests. He wants to make the most of his return as a race rider, while saying the development work remains his priority.

His comeback began at Phillip Island, where he qualified 17th in wet conditions, ahead of Yamaha factory riders Alex Rins and Fabio Quartararo and VR46 Ducati’s Franco Morbidelli. He ended the dry Sprint last, and a post-race tyre-pressure penalty did not change his position.

The next stop is Sepang for the Malaysian Grand Prix, a circuit Fernandez knows from Yamaha testing and his two full-time MotoGP seasons with Tech3 KTM.