Wataru Yoshikawa is looking forward to m💞aking what will be only his second career MotoGP race having been offered to chance to ride Valentino Rossi's vacant FIAT Yamaha M1.

While the likes of⛎ Cal Crutchlow and Colin Edwards were originally mooted, the Yamaha test rider would turn out to be a surprise choice, with the team favouring the chance to keep developing the M1 in a racing environment.

While the Japanese rider admits he faces a steep learnin🦋g curve around circuits he has not visited before, he is excited about the opportunity to ride the championship-leading bike in Spain.

"I'm excited about riding the M1 in Spain this week, even if I'm very sorry for Valentino's injury. I have only ridden in a MotoGಞP race once, at Motegi in 2002, and this is the first time I have ridden at the Montmel? (Barcelona) track.

"We can see from the team's results this season that Yamaha did a good job with the winter development of the M1 and I am sure that these few races I will contest now will be eꦕܫxtremely helpful for the future development of our bike."