Marco Bezzecchi
Yamaha’s V4 engine was the talk of the paddock during the Sepang test as the Iwata outfit encountered severe issues.
Yamaha did not run on the second day of the test after Fabio Quartararo and Toprak Razgatlioglu suffered engine trouble in Malaysia. The former had crashed in the morning on day one, breaking a finger in his right hand, before having problems with the V4.
It turns out that the problem was not as severe as previously feared, as Yamaha’s six riders returned to the track on day three. However, having the issue at all is alarming, especially when sources indicate that Yamaha had trouble with the V4 during their private shakedown.
Predict the order of the Yamaha riders in the 2026 MotoGP standings
Jack Miller refused to answer questions about the V4 in Malaysia, highlighting his frustration with the situation. A journalist even stated that Pramac teammate Razgatlioglu would be ‘calling’ his manager over the ‘mess’.
It has put Yamaha in an uncomfortable position, as the V4 is clearly not up to scratch. Of course, the Iwata factory expected to struggle at the start of 2026 and develop the bike throughout the year, but this level of uncompetitiveness has many worried about the project.
Paolo Pavesio says there’s ‘no chance’ Yamaha will go back to ‘last year’s bikes’ in 2026
Yamaha staff think decision-making in Japan is ‘too slow’ amid their V4 woes. The team have been struggling to provide their riders with a competitive machine since Quartararo won the title in 2022.
Yamaha have even admitted they are ’15 years behind’ with the V4, adding to the speculation that they could go back to the inline four while they solve their issues.
However, speaking to Motosprint, Yamaha boss Paolo Pavesio has completely ruled this out. Asked if he can say that the V4’s problem has been solved, he said: “We ran the entire third day without that problem, so I’d say yes. We’re still talking about prototypes pushed to the limit, though.”
Asked if Yamaha had a ‘plan B’, he replied: “No. This is the project, it’s young and ambitious, so there’s no chance of going back to last year’s bikes. It wouldn’t make sense to do so because it wouldn’t be strategically correct, as well as being a failure.
“The M1 has changed a lot between Valencia and Sepang, so there’s the possibility to move freely in this new project too. There’s no plan B because there’s no need for one.”
READ MORE: Everything to know about Yamaha from the MotoGP team’s riders to hierarchy
Can Yamaha bounce back and be competitive in 2026?
Pavesio says that the issue with the V4 has been resolved, but it does leave Yamaha with a huge mountain to climb in 2026.
Alex Rins was the highest-ranked Yamaha rider on day three at Sepang, coming in over a second behind Alex Marquez at the top. Pramac’s Miller and Razgatlioglu languished in P17 and P18, respectively.
Miller was fastest for Yamaha in race simulations, going P8, but he was 1.4 seconds off Marquez’s pace. Clearly, the V4 is far from being a competitive package.
The Iwata factory will develop the machine throughout the year, and it could put their riders in a position to fight towards the front. But for now, Yamaha are the manufacturer with the most work to do.
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