Meregalli confirms Folger as Yamaha test rider

The German will be the Iwata marque’s Europe-based test rider

There have been rumours for some time but during FP2 at the Gran Premio Octo di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team Director Massimo Meregalli confirmed to pitlane reporter Simon Crafar that Jonas Folger will be a Yamaha test rider in 2019.

“Even if we didn’t make an announcement, the choice was already made some time ago with Jonas,” says the Italian, who also then confirmed that Folger had attended the team’s recent private test at Aragon. “We asked him to join the test because he needs to learn and listen to the rider comments on the bike.”

The Europe-based role is a new one as Yamaha fall in line with fellow Japanese manufacturers such as Honda and Suzuki, who have Stefan Bradl and Sylvain Guintoli on test duty, respectively. And Folger’s CV fits the bill: impressing during his rookie season in MotoGP™ with Monster Yamaha Tech 3 on the Yamaha M1, the German took a podium finish at his home round in Germany as he pushed reigning Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) – who had four premier class wins at the venue at the time – all the way to the flag.

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