The Catalan Grand Prix marked a turning point for Yamaha, with a solid performance from Fabio Quartararo and a key behind-the-scenes moment: the first test of the V4 prototype by Quartararo, Alex Rins, and Jack Miller. Yamaha Racing Director Paolo Pavesio made no secret of his excitement as the team prepares for another crucial stage at Misano. Here are the details of this strategic shift.
During the Catalan Grand Prix, fabio quartararo shone, reinforcing optimism among Yamaha . " There are many reasons to be excited about a weekend in Barcelona ", said Pavesio in the garage Yamaha , according to Motorcycle Sports. But the real excitement came on Monday, with the first ride of the prototype V4, a major step in the overhaul of the MotoGP project Yamaha .
At the end of the race, Quartararo, Rins et Miller took to the track to test the new Yamaha M1 V4 during a private session in Barcelona. "This is the very first M1 V4 prototype ", found Pavesio, pointing to a motorcycle still covered in the garage. Fabio, Alex and Jack will test the new bike for the first time. It was an intense, exciting journey. I would even say very tiring for most of the engineers involved.. But we are also happy to have been able to complete the first part of the journey in such a short time. »
This test, closed to journalists and photographers, did not reveal any times. Since this is a private trial, we can't show you much more ", added Pavesio, keeping the suspense intact.
Yamaha heads to Misano for the next stage « where we will show you much more than this little preview »
The real kick-off of the V4 project will take place during the official tests in Misano, September 15, 2025, just after the San Marino Grand Prix (September 12-14). The real journey will begin in a few days in Misano, where we will show you much more than this little preview ", promised PavesioThe official pilots, joined by the test pilot Augusto Fernandez (entered as a wild card this weekend), will have a new chance to refine the V4 on the Marco Simoncelli circuit.
This move to the V4 engine marks a radical change in philosophy for Yamaha , which seeks to make up for lost time on Ducati et Aprilia. alex rins, in a recent interview with TodoCircuito, had expressed his impatience: “ I hope the bike will behave differently. It's a radical change, a different type of engine, the bike was built from scratch » Jack Miller, now confirmed at Pramac for 2026, will also bring his experience, while Quarterly remains the spearhead of this ambitious project.
With the fierce competition of Marc Marquez, leader of championnat, And a Pecco Bagnaia in trouble, Yamaha bet on this V4 to turn the tide. The trials of Misano will be crucial to assess the potential of this machine against the Desmosedici of Ducati. As pointed out Pavesio, this " intense journey " is still in its infancy, but the enthusiasm is palpable. Yamaha is ready to write a new chapter in MotoGP, and Misano could well be the scene of the first revelations!
