Ever since the reduction in collective full grid testing, the significance of the test rider role has in MotoGP grown exponentially. With riders having fewer opportunities to develop their machines, compounded with an increasingly demanding race weekend, test riders is usually the people to keep the development ball rolling, away from the pressures of competition.
The test rider provides engineers and mechanics with reliable, high-level feedback essential for motorcycle development. These riders often represent the first human evaluation after key changes and the implementation of new technologies from one year to another.
For teams already operating under strict testing limitations and extreme time constraints during the season, the ability to maintain a consistent development pathway cannot be understated. Development takes time, and going in any direction except forward will reserve teams with a spot on the back of the grid.
Notable examples in the paddock
Yamaha’s recent decision to recruit Augusto Fernandez as a test rider for 2025 exemplifies its ongoing its efforts to get back to the front once more. Managing Director Lin Jarvis highlighted the importance of testing operations.
“Bike development is a priority for Yamaha as we challenge to return to winning ways at the earliest opportunity… Augusto is young and is fast, and he can test alongside Cal and learn the special methodology required from a full-time test rider.”
By mixing a young and quick Fernandez alongside the experienced Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha aims to complete “all essential activities” in their development programme.
Several high-profile pilots have also transitioned successfully into development roles. The most notable example is Dani Pedrosa, a three-time world champion who joined KTM after concluding a premier-class career that yielded 31 race victories.
Pedrosa is widely regarded as one of KTM’s most valuable assets, having contributed significantly to the Austrian manufacturer’s impressive performance improvements in recent seasons. His technical knowledge and sensitivity as a rider have allowed him to provide development direction that has transformed KTM into a competitive force in the championship.
Similarly transformative has been Honda’s recent acquisition of Aleix Espargaro as a test rider for the 2025 MotoGP season. This hiring comes as Honda struggles through a difficult period, with their motorcycles showing significant performance deficits compared to competitors.
Espargaro brings valuable experience from his time at Aprilia, where he was instrumental in developing the RS-GP from an uncompetitive machine into a multiple race winner. The HRC remains hopeful that El Capitan’s presence in the garage can turn fortunes around for the team.
Just how important?
Telemetry data can provide teams with precise measurements of numerous performance parameters, but the feeling of the rider is still the most valuable input for development direction. As noted by Marc Márquez’s former Chief Mechanic Santi Hernández, “The data is very clear, but it does not always show what the pilot feels.”
This human element of testing cannot be replaced by sensors and measurements alone, which is why manufacturers invest so heavily in securing test riders with not only exceptional sensitivity to the bike but also great communicators in their own right. The integration of these subjective insights with objective measurements creates the foundation for effective development decisions.
Ultimately, the work of test riders bridges the gap between engineering concepts and racetrack reality, providing the essential human element in motorcycle development.
