‘Unnamed’ Yamaha employee previously made ‘donkey’ admission about their new V4 engine

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Yamaha’s V4 engine has made its official debut. Test rider Augusto Fernandez is making a wildcard appearance at the San Marino Grand Prix with the new machinery.

Yamaha know this is a crucial moment. They are the last manufacturer to pivot away from the inline four, and they even held a special unveiling ceremony for Fernandez’s bike on Thursday.

The Japanese manufacturer confirmed a year ago that the new engine was in development. Their bike is regarded as formidable through the corners, particularly in the hands of Fabio Quartararo, but it is clearly lacking top speed on the straights.

Yamaha have conducted an extensive behind-the-scenes testing programme, with Quartararo riding the bike for the first time on Monday following the Catalan GP. He and his fellow M1 riders will gather some more data in the official test after this weekend’s race.

Yamaha pleased with V4 progress after ‘donkey’ admission

Speaking on the Paddock Pass Podcast, journalist Neil Morrison mapped out the recent development progress. When Yamaha tested the V4 in Brno, it was still a ‘donkey’, in the words of one employee.

But less than two months after the Czech GP, it’s ‘a lot more professional’. Engineers in Japan have now been able to incorporate the initial feedback from the test riders.

Fernandez spent two seasons in the premier class with Tech3 before he took on the role at Yamaha. They have also been able to call upon Andrea Dovizioso, a rider with nearly 250 MotoGP starts and 15 victories, though he doesn’t wish to make a wildcard appearance.

“I spoke to someone at Yamaha today, who will remain unnamed,” said Morrison. “They were saying that the bike that showed up at Brno was a bit of a hodge-podge, a donkey was the word that they used.

“What was wheeled out in Barcelona a couple of days ago was a lot more professional. Clearly, a lot of work has gone into it in the months since then.

“A lot of the initial comments that were relayed back to the engineers have been taken on board. Some people within Yamaha are fairly pleased with the recent progress over the last month or two.”

Yamaha have no plan B if V4 engine project doesn’t work

On the record, Yamaha are still deciding whether to run with the V4 next year. But Dorna’s Jack Appleyard isn’t buying that narrative.

He reports that Paolo Pavesio’s team aren’t even developing an updated inline-four for 2026. They’re privately committed to the V4, with ‘no plan B’ in place.

Yamaha’s full-time riders can’t use the V4 this season, during race weekends at least, because it would mean breaching the homologation rules. Further wildcard appearances are planned for Fernandez before the end of the year.

“The key thing to show that Yamaha have made a decision behind the scenes – but won’t tell us just yet – is that there’s been no mention of the fact that a 2026 inline-four engine is under any kind of development.

“If suddenly they decide that this V4 project isn’t going to work going forward, there’s no plan B. They haven’t been working on or developing an inline four for next week, and they can’t just plug and play the 2025 bike because under concessions, they can still develop, they can still improve.

“That, right there, is evidence enough that the V4 project is going to be the way forward for Yamaha next year.”