Fernández Joins Pramac Yamaha as Emergency Replacement
Due to injuries sustained in a crash during the Sprint Race at the Argentine GP, Miguel Oliveira has been ruled out of next week’s Round 3 of the MotoGP season, the Americas GP in Austin, Texas. Filling in for Oliveira will be Augusto Fernández, who currently serves as the Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP test rider. He will compete aboard the Pramac Yamaha YZR-M1.
After his withdrawal from the Americas GP was confirmed, Oliveira returned to Portugal on Sunday and underwent a detailed medical examination. The results revealed a dislocation of the left sternoclavicular joint along with ligament damage. He is scheduled to undergo further evaluation in the coming days to monitor his condition.
Augusto Fernández, the 27-year-old from Madrid, Spain, was the 2022 Moto2 World Champion. Now Yamaha’s official test rider for the season, Fernández will once again race the YZR-M1 as he steps in for the injured Oliveira. The Pramac Yamaha MotoGP Team expressed both their wishes for Oliveira’s swift recovery and a warm welcome to Fernández.
Gino Borsoi (Pramac Yamaha Team Manager)
“It’s truly unfortunate that Oliveira was injured, especially since he had been steadily adapting to the YZR-M1 and integrating well with the team. The timing of this setback is painful. He hasn’t had the best of luck in recent years, but knowing his strong mentality, I’m confident he’ll return with high motivation. For now, we hope he receives the best possible treatment and gets back to the circuit soon.
As for Augusto, even though this was a last-minute call-up, we’re fully committed to supporting him as a team, and I’m confident we can have a great weekend together.”
Miguel Oliveira
“First of all, I want to thank the team and the doctors who have been treating me. After returning home, I underwent an MRI scan, which revealed a dislocation of the sternoclavicular joint and torn ligaments. Right now, my arm is immobilized, and my focus is entirely on recovery.
It’s still unclear when I’ll be able to return. We’ll monitor the situation week by week, depending on how my body responds. Of course, I want to come back as soon as possible, but more than that, I want to make sure I fully recover and return at 100%.”
Augusto Fernández
“First and foremost, I’m concerned about Miguel’s condition and sincerely hope he recovers quickly. I’m grateful to Yamaha and Pramac for giving me this opportunity. Austin is an incredible circuit, and I can’t wait to be back on the M1. I’m really looking forward to the race weekend.”
(Photo courtesy of Pramac)