Andrea Dovizioso shares what Yamaha told him ‘not to reveal’ about their V4-engined bike at Misano

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Andrea Dovizioso is playing a key role in developing Yamaha’s V4-engined bike that fellow tester Augusto Fernandez will debut in the San Marino Grand Prix at Misano.

Fernandez is making a wildcard appearance at Misano this weekend, as Yamaha look to their future as the Japanese manufacturer move away from an inline four engine. The Iwata outfit are the only MotoGP team still using an inline four, compared to their rivals with V4 engines.

Yamaha’s factory riders cannot race the V4 bike in 2025 without being disqualified, owing to MotoGP’s concession rules limiting the number of upgrades teams can bring. While Yamaha are in Category D, they have already homologated their two aero updates allowed this term.

So, testing the V4-engined M1 has fallen on Fernandez, as Dovizioso elected against making any wildcard appearances in the 2025 MotoGP season. But works pair Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins, plus Pramac’s Jack Miller, took part in Yamaha’s V4 test in Barcelona this Monday.

Yamaha have told Andrea Dovizioso ‘not to reveal’ where they’ve tested their V4 engine

Yamaha followed their private test by unveiling their prototype V4-engined M1 on Thursday at the San Marino GP, before Fernandez gave the bike its first laps during an official MotoGP race weekend session in practice at Misano on Friday as the Iwata outfit gather crucial data.

READ MORE: Everything to know about Yamaha from the MotoGP team’s riders to hierarchy

Dovizioso is very enthusiastic about Yamaha’s V4 engine project, having helped to develop it in his role as the brand’s test rider and rider performance advisor. The 39-year-old has been working for Yamaha since February’s Sepang Test and officially as their test rider since June.

But while Dovizioso was enthusiastic about Yamaha’s V4 engine when discussing the bike on Thursday at Misano, he admitted that the Iwata outfit have also told the Italian not to reveal details about where they have tested the engine already or how often it has been on a track.

Dovizioso declared, via quotes by Motosprint: “These are details that I have been told not to reveal, although I don’t understand why.”

Andrea Dovizioso immediately ‘realised’ the difference in braking on Yamaha’s V4 bike

Yamaha formally signed Dovizioso as a test rider in June to draw on the MotoGP icon’s vast experience while developing a V4 engine. The Forlimpopoli native won 15 of his 248 Grand Prix starts in the premier class from 2008 until 2022, as well as 62 podiums and seven poles.

Dovizioso also noticed an immediate difference between how Yamaha’s V4-engined M1 and their inline four-engined bike behave under braking. While the long-time Ducati star did not feel he could brake the way he “wanted” with the inline four, the V4 allows a different style.

He added, via Moto.it: “When I got on this bike, from the first lap I realised I could brake the way I wanted, which I couldn’t with the other bike. So, for me, it was a wonderful feeling.”

Fernandez’s wildcard at Misano comes after Yamaha brought forward their plans for the V4 engine, having planned to wait until 2026 for its race debut. Quartararo, Rins, Miller and Toprak Razgatlioglu will now hope Dovizioso and Fernandez can increase its performance.