The Fiat Yamaha team will be back to two riders this weekend, as Japanese test rider Wataru Yoshikawa will try to fill the giant shoes of Valentino Rossi. Yoshikawa will be on board an M1 machine this weekend at the Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya this weekend. Gorge Lorenzo has been the sole rider for the Fiat Yamaha team for the past three races, after Rossi suffered a broken leg at Mugello.
Yoshikawa knows the M1 motorcycle well, as he is one of the key test riders in Yamaha's MotoGP development program, but he is not familiar with MotoGP racing or the Montmelo track.
"I'm excited about riding the M1 in Spain this week, even if I'm very sorry for Valentino's injury,” said Yoshikawa. “I have only ridden in a MotoGP race once, at Motegi in 2002, and this is the first time I have ridden at the Montmeló track.”
Yoshikawa is a former two-time Japanese superbike champion, and will be getting help from Rossi's Fiat Yamaha Crew. Rossi's crew has not participated at the MotoGP since Rossi's accident nearly a month ago.
"This weekend our team will come back to the paddock after a strange time watching from home!” said team manager Davide Brivio. “We go to Barcelona where we have some amazing memories from last year. Of course we will miss Valentino but he is recovering well and now we will give our maximum support to Wataru as he joins our team.”
“It will be nice to see the fourth M1 back on the track, Wataru is an experienced rider even though he doesn't know Barcelona and we will see what happens."
