Yamaha’s long-awaited V4 engine project is making progress, but according to test rider Augusto Fernandez, there’s still a long road ahead if they want to be competitive in the 2026 MotoGP season.
After years of sticking with their signature inline-four engine, Yamaha has finally joined the rest of the MotoGP field—Ducati, KTM, Aprilia, and Honda—in developing a V4 power unit. But after a recent private test at Brno, Fernandez didn’t hold back: “It’s looking good… but it’s still not fast enough.”
Work in Progress
Fernandez, who joined Yamaha this year to support testing duties, rode the prototype V4 at the Brno Circuit ahead of the Czech GP. While the early signs are promising, the Spaniard made it clear that the engine is still in its infancy. “It’s what will decide the engine for next year,” he said. “We need to accelerate the process because if we want to race with the V4 next year, there’s still a lot of work to be done.”
That urgency is understandable—Yamaha currently sits at the bottom of the constructors’ standings after 11 rounds of the 2025 season. The new engine could be the lifeline they need to return to the front, but the timeline is tight.
Baby Steps from Japan
One of the reasons for the slow progress, according to Fernandez, is Yamaha’s traditionally cautious development philosophy. “They [the Japanese engineers] don’t give us all the power from the engine yet. They’re introducing performance bit by bit. They want to understand it fully before pushing to the limit,” he explained.
It’s a methodical approach, typical of Japanese manufacturers—but it comes with a risk. In MotoGP’s high-stakes environment, where Ducati and KTM are pushing aggressive development cycles, slow and steady might not be enough.
A Question of Lap Time
Ultimately, Fernandez believes the final decision will come down to one simple metric: lap times. “At some point, we’ll need to see which engine is faster. That’s what will decide it. It’s not a negative situation—we just need better lap times.”
He added that the last test didn’t include the full power version of the V4 engine, suggesting there’s more potential left to unlock. Still, he remains cautiously optimistic: “As long as we have a good bike for next year, it’s all good. It’s going well so far.”
What’s Next?
Yamaha will continue V4 development over the summer, with more tests planned before the end of the 2025 season. Whether the new engine will be race-ready by 2026 remains to be seen—but for now, the team knows the clock is ticking.
