Mat Oxley has ‘never’ seen one thing Yamaha have on their V4-engined bike at Misano

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The San Marino Grand Prix might be round 16 of this year’s 22, but Misano is also the start of Yamaha’s future after test rider Augusto Fernandez debuted their V4 engine.

Fernandez is making a wildcard appearance at Misano this weekend, as Yamaha look to gain crucial data on their developmental V4 engine they aim to race in the 2026 MotoGP season. Yamaha tested the V4 engine in Barcelona this Monday prior to its race debut in Rimini, too.

A V4-engined Yamaha YZR-M1 represents a huge change, given the Japanese manufacturer are the final team to move away from inline four engines. But Yamaha’s factory riders cannot race a V4 bike in 2025 without being disqualified despite them being in concessions class D.

Yamaha have already homologated their two permitted fairings for the year. So, factory duo Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins, plus Pramac pilot Jack Miller, must wait until 2026 to race a V4-engined Yamaha M1. Yamaha are working on the V4 alongside their 850cc bike for 2027.

Mat Oxley has ‘never’ seen a swingarm pivot area as flexible as on Yamaha’s V4 bike

Yamaha test rider Andrea Dovizioso has been key to developing the V4 engine since formally joining the Iwata outfit in June. The Italian also noted at its unveiling on Thursday at Misano that Yamaha’s V4-engined bike behaves differently under braking to their 2025 challenger.

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

Seeing Fernandez hit the track at Misano this Friday aboard the V4-engined Yamaha M1 also gave Mat Oxley a chance to note its swingarm pivot area. Oxley has “never” seen a MotoGP swingarm pivot area as flexible as the one that Yamaha have on their V4 bike at Misano, too.

Oxley said on X: “MotoGP manufacturers have been chasing more lateral flex for decades, so the bike flexes at full lean, so it tracks the road better, which increases grip and turning.

“But I’ve never seen a swingarm pivot area as flexi as the all-new Yamaha YZR-M1 V4’s. It’s almost as thin as the Ducati Desmosedici’s engine hangers!”

Yamaha’s V4-engined bike could offer a grip advantage in the 2026 MotoGP season

The flexibility of the swingarm pivot area that Oxley noticed on Yamaha’s V4-engined bike at Misano could be huge for 2026. Teams have sought to develop their bikes in this area, as the swingarm and frame are key to keeping the tyres in contact with the circuit through corners.

If Yamaha have indeed moved the needle with their design that Fernandez is testing at this weekend’s San Marino GP, then next year’s M1 might have an advantage in terms of grip in corners. The inline four Yamaha is already one of, if not the best bikes through corners, too.

Quartararo would, no doubt, find any extra grip very welcome next year, as it has been a big gripe of the 26-year-old in 2025. Speaking after finishing the 2025 Hungarian GP in P10 and 15.473s off the lead, Quartararo said Yamaha’s grip is “really far away” from what he needs.