Photo: Yamaha racing
Why Aprilia and Yamaha are adding extra bikes in Jerez
MotoGP Motogp 2026 Season jerezmotogp Aprilia Racing Yamaha Racing
At the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix, Aprilia and Yamaha will use special wildcard entries to run extra riders and gather important data. This will help them improve their bikes for the rest of the MotoGP season
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At the 2026 MotoGP Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez, both Aprilia and Yamaha are bringing extra bikes to the race using what are called “wildcard” entries. These special entries allow teams to run additional riders, usually test riders, to gather important information and improve their machines.
Aprilia will use Italian test rider Lorenzo Savadori, while Yamaha will enter Augusto Fernández. These riders are not part of the normal race line-up, but they play a very important role. Their main job is not just to race, but to test new parts and collect data that can help the teams later in the season.
This weekend in Jerez is especially important because there will be an official MotoGP test on the Monday after the race. Teams often use wildcard riders during this race to prepare for that test. It gives them extra track time and allows them to compare information with their full-time riders.
Yamaha’s entry is particularly interesting. They will have a fifth bike on the grid, ridden by Fernández. This is his first race appearance of the 2026 season, and he will be riding Yamaha’s new V4 engine machine. The team is working hard to improve this new bike, as 2026 is a big change for Yamaha after many years using a different engine design.
Fernández already has some experience at Jerez and has raced there before, which should help him give useful feedback. His role is to test the bike in real race conditions, something that cannot be fully done in private testing.
Aprilia also has clear goals. The team has been very strong recently and wants to stay ahead of its rivals. By running Savadori as a wildcard, they can continue developing their RS-GP bike and try new ideas during the race weekend.
Even though wildcard riders usually do not fight for top positions, their work is very valuable. They help engineers understand how the bike behaves over long runs, in traffic, and under race pressure. This information can lead to better results in future races.
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