Trackhouse Racing has confirmed that Lorenzo Savadori will step in for Miguel Oliveira at this weekend’s Japanese MotoGP, as Oliveira continues his recovery from wrist surgery following a crash at Mandalika last Friday.
Savadori, who serves as a test rider for Aprilia, previously raced for the team under its former RNF ownership, but he will be the first rider to compete in Trackhouse colors other than Oliveira and Raul Fernandez.
“In Japan, we will replace Miguel with Lorenzo Savadori, so we will have two riders again,” said team manager Wilco Zeelenberg. “We decided to maintain our logistics plan and fly the entire team to Motegi to complete this series of three consecutive races together.
“However, it will not be easy for Lorenzo to perform immediately. We hope that Aprilia can utilize his experience over the weekend to continue their development program and draw performance conclusions for the new bike. Our thoughts are with Miguel, and we wish him a swift return.”
Savadori has made four wildcard appearances for Aprilia this season, achieving a best finish of 20th while testing prototype parts for the RS-GP.
“I want to express my best wishes for Miguel’s speedy recovery,” Savadori stated. “Regarding the Japanese Grand Prix, I haven’t ridden at Motegi since 2010, which is over 14 years ago. It’s a lovely track, and I’m eager to start Free Practice 1. I’m excited to make my debut for the Trackhouse Racing Team, and I will work diligently to improve the bike with each outing.”
Savadori and Fernandez are the only current Aprilia MotoGP riders confirmed to remain with the project in 2025. Meanwhile, Oliveira is set to transition to Pramac Yamaha, Maverick Vinales will move to Tech3 KTM, and Aleix Espargaro will take on HRC test riding duties.
After finishing 16th and 18th in previous races at Aragon and San Marino, Fernandez secured his best result on the RS-GP24 with a tenth-place finish at Mandalika last weekend. Although only twelve riders completed the race, Fernandez’s time was competitive enough for eighth place at the prior Misano 2 event.
“We concluded Mandalika on a positive note,” Fernandez remarked. “I found something necessary and encouraging at the end of a challenging series of races. Since switching from the RS-GP23 to the RS-GP24 after the summer break, we’ve faced some difficulties, but I believe we’ve found solutions now. I’m looking forward to Japan, as it was a great track for me last year, and I hope to make the most of it again this time. Plus, I can’t wait to enjoy some sushi!”
Free practice for the Japanese MotoGP kicks off on Friday morning, marking an exciting opportunity for both Savadori and Fernandez to showcase their skills.
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