Yamaha director admits they may ‘lose’ one of their greatest strengths for good with their new V4 bike

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Yamaha continue to develop their V4 engine as the 2025 MotoGP season draws to a close. Feedback on the early model has been mixed so far.

Test rider Augusto Fernandez formally debuted the V4 as a wildcard at the San Marino Grand Prix last month. A similar outing is scheduled for Malaysia next weekend.

Yamaha’s full-time riders can’t use the V4 because of the series’ homologation rules. They did, however, ride the updated bike at the Misano test.

Fabio Quartararo has expressed concerns about the bike, which is partly designed to convince him to stay beyond 2026. Satellite rider Jack Miller has been more positive about Yamaha’s development.

Max Bartolini says Yamaha’s front end will suffer from V4 change

Speaking to Motor Sport Magazine, Yamaha technical director Massimo Bartolini highlighted the cost of moving away from the inline four. The team haven’t officially confirmed they will do so, but it’s abundantly clear.

Yamaha’s bike is regarded as one of the best in the corners, which has helped Quartararo bag four pole positions this year – the second-most on the grid behind Marc Marquez. But a lack of straight-line grunt explains the pivot to the V4.

Indeed, Quartararo has failed to convert any of those poles into victories from eight attempts. He’s often been overpowered by his rivals in the early laps or resorted to overriding and lost control.

• READ MORE: Yamaha have now made a ‘colossal offer’ to Fabio Quartararo to stay with their MotoGP team beyond 2026

Bartolini says the engine change should be viewed as a compromise – it will cost Yamaha’s riders some ‘front feel’, but it should deliver a net improvement.

“We need to improve the engine and at least to get to the level of handling of the other bikes, by finding the right bike balance to gain front feel,” he said.

“I’m not sure the new bike’s front will ever be like the current bike’s, because in the end, when you gain something, you lose something.”

Jack Miller predicts whether Yamaha’s V4 will take them back to the front of MotoGP

Speaking in the Australian Grand Prix press conference on Thursday, Miller played down concerns about a loss of front grip. He’s praised the work that Yamaha’s engineers have done up to this point.

Asked if there was a ‘sense’ inside Yamaha that the V4 would put them ‘back in the game’ at the front of the grid, Miller replied: “Yeah, I think so. Like all things, it’s a new project. Testing the bike in both Barcelona at Misano, in the limited track time that we got, I was very happy with the direction that it’s taken.

“The areas that we needed to work on – using the rear tyre to be able to stop the bike and also accelerate as well – it’s done that, without compromising Yamaha’s incredible front end and turning capability.”

Miller did then clarify that the project is still in the ‘early stages’, with more horsepower required before the bike is race-ready. Yamaha haven’t won a MotoGP race since Germany 2022, suggesting radical change may be needed.