Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1531151
Peters Out For Remaining Arenacross Rounds F ive-time and defending Arenacross Cham- pion Kyle Peters will sit out the remaining rounds of the 2024–25 AMA Arenacross Championship due to injury. Peters reinjured his back at the Boise round of the championship. In 2022, Peters damaged six vertebrae in his back but recov- ered to win the title in 2023 and '24. A hard landing off a jump in Boise re-aggravated the injury, and he is currently suffering numb- ness throughout his left side. "Honestly, things could always be worse," the Phoenix Honda Team rider said. "While, physically, the experience I've had since Boise has been worrying, I'm glad to have some answers from doctors and a path mov- ing forward. As for my racing career, this isn't the end; it's just another small detour. I will be back racing, pushing myself, and chasing the sixth title soon enough. "Thank you to my family, team, sponsors and fans for the support in the past, the pres- ent and the future. I'll be back." Phoenix Racing Honda will not attend the remainder of the 2025 Arenacross season as well. CN An injury has forced Kyle Peters out of the 2024–25 AMA Arenacross Championship. Fernandez Joins Yamaha as Official MotoGP Test Rider Y amaha Motor Co., Ltd. and Yamaha Motor Rac- ing have signed Augusto Fernandez into the Yamaha family. The veteran MotoGP rider will join the Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Test Team program, taking on the role of official MotoGP test rider for the 2025 season. Fernandez has two years of experience in MotoGP (2023–2024) and six years in Moto2 (2017–2022), including a Moto2 World Championship title in 2022. Starting from the upcoming MotoGP shakedown test (scheduled to run from January 31 to Febru - ary 2 in Sepang, Malaysia), Fernandez will start his new testing job, riding the YZR-M1. Throughout 2025, he will take part in Official IRTA Tests and private Yamaha tests as well as various wildcard events with the aim of helping Yamaha's engineers with their MotoGP bike devel - opment program. "We have signed Augusto to be our second Ya- maha test rider alongside Cal Crutchlow," Lin Jarvis, Managing Director, Yamaha Motor Racing, said. "Cal was unfortunately unable to fulfill all his testing du- ties in 2024, and it became obvious that we needed to recruit a second rider to assist us with completing all essential activities for 2025. We believe Augusto will be a good fit for both the Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Test Team and the YZR-M1 bike. Augusto is young and is fast, and he can test alongside Cal and learn the special methodology required from a full- time test rider." CN WIND IN THE P38 Former Moto2 World Champion Augusto Fernandez (right) has been signed as a second MotoGP test rider for Yamaha.