In mid-April 2025, Yamaha completed the first laps of its V4 engine at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia, with test rider Augusto Fernandez. This test, more of a test drive than a thorough evaluation, marks a milestone in an ambitious project launched in 2023. Tested in windy and cool conditions, the V4, still in its infancy, is aiming for an introduction in 2026 if its performance surpasses that of the current inline engine.
Yamaha has taken a discreet but decisive step in the technological revolution of its MotoGP project. In mid-April, the Japanese manufacturer carried out the very first ride of its future motorcycle equipped with a V4 engine, entrusted to the test rider Augusto Fernandez on the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia.
However, there is no question of performance. This test, described as a "deployment" by Yamaha , had the sole aim of validating the operation of the engine-chassis assembly under real conditions. It was interesting, yes, but very premature. ", has explained Fernandez. " The goal was simply to take the bike for a spin, ride it a bit, and get a first impression »
Engine V4 represents a radical change of philosophy for Yamaha , accustomed to inline four-cylinder blocks with crossplane crankshafts. Announced in 2023, the project requires a complete redesign of the motorcycle: new chassis, aerodynamics, electronic mapping, etc. everything has to be rebuilt around a narrower but more complex engine.
Augusto Fernandez: “ we are far from having a racing package »
« For now, it's just a prototype engine and chassis. Everything has been designed to allow the whole to function, but we are far from having a racing package ", highlighted Fernandez.
Despite limited driving in windy and cool conditions, the pilot still perceived a clear break: « It's very different from the inline engine, the sound too. But I didn't want to become the first rider to crash the Yamaha V4 – that's not the right kind of historic moment! “, he joked.
Le V4 is intended to enter the track at the earliest in 2026, if its performance surpasses that of the current M1. Until then, Yamaha continues to improve its online engine. fabio quartararo et alex rins thus tested a new specification during the Jerez test, which could be used from the Grand Prix of France at Le Mans.
As to V4, no test date with the regular drivers has yet been set. Quarterly et Kidneys will however benefit from two days of testing in Misano after Le MansIt is still uncertain whether they will test the prototype there. V4.
The only confirmed wild card for Augusto Fernandez is planned at Aragon at the beginning of June, but again, it will be with the current Yamaha M1. Yamaha is therefore carrying out two projects in parallel: improving a competitive M1 in the short term and building a completely new model for the next generation of technical regulations (planned for 2027). Yamaha is investing a lot, which is positive. », concludes on motorsport total Fernandez. " But this kind of project doesn't happen overnight. It takes time, work, and patience. »
