Marco Bezzecchi
Yamaha revealed their brand-new MotoGP livery in Jakarta on Wednesday. It was a particularly significant launch, completing the transition from the inline four bike to the V4.
Satellite team Pramac held their launch last week, and factory-backed rider Toprak Razgatlioglu was in attendance as the official squad removed the covers.
Yamaha’s livery is largely similar to last season, and the factory line-up remains the same, but 2026 still marks the start of a new era.
Is Yamaha’s new MotoGP livery a hit or a miss?
Test rider Augusto Fernandez debuted the V4 in wildcard outings last season, and all the full-time riders have tried it in testing. Reviews were mixed, but the expectation is that considerable progress has been made over the winter.
Yamaha face a ‘long’ road with their V4, Fabio Quartararo says
The message from the Yamaha figures who appeared on stage in Indonesia was clear: fans will have to be patient. Managing director Paolo Pavesio expects a steep improvement curve, but warned that there won’t be a ‘magic’ breakthrough.
Previously, Yamaha have indicated that they will prioritise development for the first half of the season before focusing more on results in the second.
“There is no magic in this sport,” Pavesio said. “Fundamentally, it’s a mechanical sport where you have to accept that there is a journey to be back [at the top].
“We believe we have a package which can offer us more potential to grow during the season. We expect to learn quickly as soon as we start racing, and we expect a growing trajectory during the season.
Finish the sentence: In 2027, the Yamaha rider line-up will be…
“I cannot tell you if it’s going to be the first half, or the first race, but we are eager to learn the machine and we believe the new M1 will show its potential, growing all season.”
Fernandez was off the pace during his wildcard outings, but Quartararo is hoping that Yamaha’s V4 bike is now faster than its predecessor. Still, even he acknowledges that the project is still in its infancy.
“We know that we started just last year, so it will be a long process,” he said. “It’s really important to find our direction [at Sepang] and hopefully be faster than last year.
“The project is brand new, so there is margin to improve everywhere. This is what Alex and I expect, to have some improvement everywhere, turning, the engine power – that is the most important thing.”
‘We are starting from zero,’ Yamaha technical director says
Finally, Yamaha technical director Massimo Meregalli stressed that the team are ‘starting from zero’ this year. Their improvement over the course of the season will be ‘gradual’.
“We are starting from zero, almost,” he said. “Maybe I’ll split the season into parts – the first one where we will try to get used to the new bike, a learning process.
“Then in the second, we expect Fabio and Alex to gradually improve their results. We already know that we have a lot of work ahead of us!”
It’s unclear how patient Quartararo will be. He made clear last season that he’s tired of waiting for a winning bike, but he’s highly unlikely to end his drought in 2026.
There have even been suggestions that Quartararo has already decided to leave Yamaha amid links with Ducati, Honda and Aprilia.
Razgatlioglu could become Yamaha’s franchise rider if Quartararo leaves, but he can expect his rookie season to be a grind. Indeed, until the summer break, it may feel like one extended test.
Receive racing news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
