Yamaha has officially confirmed a fifth bike on the grid for this weekend’s 2026 Catalan MotoGP through a wildcard appearance by Augusto Fernandez. The Spanish test rider will make his second wildcard entry of the season at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
Fernandez’s return comes only days after Yamaha achieved the best result yet for its V4 MotoGP project thanks to the performance of Fabio Quartararo during the French Grand Prix at Le Mans.
Quartararo secured fifth place in the Sprint Race and finished sixth in the main grand prix at his home event. The result was viewed as one of Yamaha’s strongest signs of progress during the opening phase of the 2026 season.
Fernandez previously appeared as a wildcard rider during the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez. In wet qualifying conditions, the Spaniard even emerged as Yamaha’s fastest rider after securing 16th on the grid.
However, Fernandez failed to score points after suffering rear brake problems caused by early contact with Jack Miller during the main grand prix. He eventually crossed the finish line in 20th position.
Just like at Jerez, the Catalan Grand Prix weekend will also be followed by an official post-race test, which remains a key part of Yamaha’s ongoing development programme this season.
“I’m excited to go racing again and once more in Spain. Barcelona is a track that I really like, so I’m looking forward to having a good weekend while continuing our bike development programme,” Fernandez said.
Fernandez’s wildcard programme is expected to focus heavily on gathering technical data for Yamaha’s latest V4 prototype, particularly regarding engine performance, rear grip, and aerodynamic stability on a fast-flowing circuit such as Barcelona.
Yamaha is currently making full use of MotoGP’s concession system, which allows manufacturers to field up to six wildcard entries throughout the season. Current regulations permit a maximum of three wildcard appearances before the summer break and three additional entries afterward.
The concession status remains crucial for Yamaha as the manufacturer continues trying to accelerate development after several difficult seasons competing against Ducati and Aprilia in MotoGP’s modern aerodynamic era.
However, MotoGP wildcard entries will officially be removed starting from the 2027 season. As a result, Yamaha and other manufacturers are now attempting to maximise the remaining development opportunities before the next major regulation cycle arrives.
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