After four seasons with the Honda HRC team, Ruben Fernandez makes the switch to Yamaha Motor Europe’s Factory MXGP team for 2027. The Spanish native is now set to race a factory YZ450FM in the MXGP division of the FIM Motocross World Championship. He joins five-time FIM Motocross World Champion Tim Gajser as the Yamaha team moves to a new in-house team based at Yamaha’s Racing headquarters in Gerno di Lesmo, Italy.
“I’m excited for the next chapter of my career and the new environment,” Fernandez said. “After spending so many years with the same team, the same people, and the same bike, I’m really looking forward to this change. Everything is new—the people, the bike, the team —and I’m looking forward to the new challenge, it is really motivating. I feel this change is exactly what I need to move forward and to take the next step in my career. I can’t wait to get to work. I’m really looking forward to testing the bike, as I haven’t had the chance to ride it yet. So, that is something I am looking forward to. I’ve been with Yamaha in the past; I remember really liking the chassis and the way it handled. While I know the YZ450F is different from the YZ250F, and the bikes have developed over the years, I’m positive I can make the most of this opportunity and I hope that together with the team, we can consistently fight up front and that I can show my full potential.”
“We are delighted to welcome Rubén back to the Yamaha family,” added Alexandre Kowalski, Yamaha Motor Europe’s Off-Road Racing Manager. “As a Grand Prix winner and proven front-runner, his speed and professionalism will be a major asset to our factory program. His arrival coincides with a new era for Yamaha as we transition to a fully in-house operation. Based at our new headquarters in Gerno di Lesmo, our MXGP team will now benefit from the same advanced engineering and technical expertise as our MotoGP and WorldSBK projects. By housing these efforts under one roof, we are providing Rubén with a world-class platform. He knows what it takes to win, and we are confident that with the support of the team, and the new infrastructure, he will have all the tools he needs to achieve his goals.”
