Marco Bezzecchi
Pramac rider Jack Miller secured a new factory Yamaha contract to help the Japanese brand develop a V4 engine, despite MotoGP soon overhauling its regulations in 2027.
The premier class will embark on a new chapter in the season after next, with MotoGP bikes going from 1,000cc to 850cc plus aerodynamic restrictions and a ban on ride height devices. Pirelli is to replace Michelin as the sole MotoGP tyre provider from the 2027 season, as well.
But the 2027 regulations are not stopping Yamaha from building a V4 engine for use in 2026. The Iwata outfit are the last MotoGP team to move away from an inline four engine, and are now working on a V4 engine for the 2026 season alongside developing their 2027 rules bike.
Miller got the chance to sample the developmental engine as Yamaha held a private test for their V4 bike in Barcelona before also sampling the bike during the test at Misano. Test rider Augusto Fernandez was also a wildcard in the San Marino Grand Prix aboard the V4 Yamaha.
Yamaha ‘had to’ build a V4 engine for 2026, despite Pirelli’s arrival in 2027, to find inertia
Miller’s experiences on V4s at Honda (2015-17), Ducati (2018-22) and KTM (2023-24) were a key factor in Yamaha deciding to hand the 30-year-old a new factory contract to remain at Pramac for the 2026 MotoGP season, with the Australian otherwise a free agent after 2025.
READ MORE: Everything to know about Jack Miller from net worth to wife
The Townsville, Queensland native also saw why Yamaha have “had to” build a V4 engine for use in the 2026 season, despite it being the last year with Michelin tyres, as they are simply “missing” the ability to accelerate with an inline four without it costing them in other areas.
Miller told the Oxley Bom MotoGP podcast: “No one knows what’s going to happen [with the Pirelli tyres]. But, at the same time, they had to do something. They had to.
“I am forever the optimist. I believe that there’s more than one way to skin a cat. There’s many ways to go about the job. But especially with the tyres that we’re running at this point in time, it’s the only way we can find traction and keep horsepower at the same time.
“There’s just missing inertia. Acceleration. The acceleration, as well as stopping, but the acceleration, the bike wants to free rev. You put to like when a car company tries to design a motorcycle engine. Like what we had with the 500s and stuff like that.
“When there’s absolutely no crank mass and there’s no controllability there. And we’re at that point where it’s a bit like that because we can’t keep the thing in the grip window no matter what we do. And you can only slow it down or delay it with the electronics.”
Yamaha and Jack Miller know the V4 engine has strengths and weaknesses to develop
Factory team rider Fabio Quartararo feels Miller’s experiences with Honda, KTM and Ducati bikes is invaluable for Yamaha as the Australian can give the Iwata crew knowledge that the Frenchman cannot, having spent his entire MotoGP career thus far racing with the YZR-M1.
Miller is satisfied with the Yamaha V4 in its current state of development, too. He can detect where the engine has strengths and also weaknesses that could be ironed out ready for the post-season test after the Valencia Grand Prix on November 14-16 to then prepare for 2026.
Yamaha impressed many with the V4 engine’s debut at Misano, but know they have work to do in order for the engine to be competitive next term. Yamaha’s works riders cannot race a V4 bike in 2025 without being disqualified, having homologated their two fairings for 2025.
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