PICS: Yamaha debuts new MotoGP aero package at Assen
Yamaha test rider Augusto Fernandez is using the factory's new aero package during his Assen wildcard, ahead of a possible rollout for its race riders.
Yamaha test rider Augusto Fernandez plans to use this weekend's Assen MotoGP wildcard to give the factory's latest V4 aero package a race debut.
If all goes well, the new aero is then expected to be introduced by Yamaha's race riders during the second half of the season.
“This weekend, I’m going to try an aero package,” Augusto Fernandez explained on Thursday.
“I’m going to try to race the new package, positive or negative, and get numbers for the [engineers] to analyse well.
"Then we'll see if there’s a benefit for [the race riders to use it] for the second part of the season.”
Fernandez added: “This is a tricky track, but it will be good to try the aero in the fast corners.”
Fernandez duly appeared with the new aero, featuring an evolution of last year's tri-lane front wing design, during Friday practice, alongside the standard 2026 V4 'box shape' front wing.
Fabio Quartararo, Toprak Razgatlioglu and Jack Miller have reverted to last year's front wing as their first in-season aero update, while Alex Rins has kept the original 2026 version so far.
Yamaha's D concession status allows it two aero updates per season, rather than the single update permitted for Aprilia, Ducati, Honda and KTM.
Fernandez went on to finish 22nd in Friday practice, 1.987s from Aprilia's Marco Bezzecchi, 1.0s behind Quartararo and 0.5s from Razgatlioglu.
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