Marco Bezzecchi
Augusto Fernandez helped to deliver points on debut with Yamaha’s new V4 engine, as he finished 14th at the San Marino Grand Prix.
The 2022 Moto2 champion had competed in five races prior to Misano and brings a solid level of MotoGP experience to his team. His feedback is going to be pivotal in developing Yamaha’s V4, as they look to leave behind the M1 era.
Fernandez was recently signed on as a test rider for the next two seasons, which means that he will be central to their plans with the V4, as well as their new bike for 2027. The new regulations could prompt a major shift in the MotoGP rider market, but Yamaha were wise to lock down their talent.
Yamaha have been told the ‘very tough’ next step for the V4, which is to find one last half-second per lap with their invention. An ‘unnamed’ Yamaha employee made a ‘donkey’ admission about the V4, but the manufacturer have been pleased with its progress ever since.
READ MORE: Andrea Dovizioso shares what Yamaha told him ‘not to reveal’ about their V4-engined bike at Misano
Augusto Fernandez says Yamaha’s V4 engine struggles in different conditions after Misano
Mat Oxley has ‘never’ seen what Yamaha has on their V4 after getting the chance to look at the new bike at Misano. Their main aim is to bring some innovations, but also to deliver a higher level of performance so that the likes of Fabio Quartararo can compete at the front again.
The Frenchman has been incredibly loyal to them through multiple seasons of struggle, and will be hoping to reap the rewards of their newest addition soon. Fernandez has now shared the verdict after the V4’s official debut at Misano.
“The V4 certainly has a lot of potential, but the response varies a lot depending on the temperature and the section of track,” he told GPOne.
“For example, in some laps, it has good grip and, in the next one, you can’t get the pace, so there’s a lot to analyse and work on. However, there are some positive aspects, only we need to find some more consistency.
“Yes, we’ll see tomorrow what they say. On the finale, I also improved in terms of fuel consumption, but we still don’t know why the bike does well sometimes and at others badly. Hopefully, we can identify the right direction and find the right balance quickly.”
READ MORE: MotoGP fans all notice the same thing after Yamaha unveil their V4-engined bike at Misano
Why Fabio Quartararo could be disqualified if he uses Yamaha’s V4 engine in 2025
Despite sitting inside the top 10 of the riders’ standings for the first time since the latter part of 2023, Quartararo will want to see more progress.
At times this year, he has shown how elite his talents can be, including multiple pole positions taken earlier in the campaign.
Quartararo could be disqualified if he uses the V4 because he has already used his two fairing upgrades for 2025.
But, with six rounds of the season to go, there isn’t long before he can opt for a full-time switch to the new machinery in 2026.
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