Yamaha’s V4-powered MotoGP prototype is very much alive and kicking. After quietly hitting the track in Barcelona a few weeks ago, the new M1 with a V4 engine was back in action earlier this week at Brno, where test riders Andrea Dovizioso and Augusto Fernandez spent Tuesday and Wednesday putting it through its paces. While the tests were meant to be behind closed doors, a few secrets still slipped through the cracks—thanks to eagle-eyed photographer Jaromir Havranek, who managed to snap the clearest images yet of the new prototype.
For the first time, we get a proper look at the bike in full, and it’s interesting to see that the aero package looks very similar to the current inline-4 M1. In fact, the front fairing seems to be directly borrowed from the existing bike. There are a few key differences, though—like extra louvers on the upper side fairings for improved airflow and cooling. The exhaust system also features a telltale V4 trait: one of the pipes exits from the right side.
Right now, the focus isn’t on lap times or outright speed. Instead, Yamaha is prioritizing reliability, and according to early reports from the test, things are going pretty smoothly. Both Dovi and Fernandez are said to be giving encouraging feedback so far.
The big goal? Yamaha wants to race the V4 full-time by 2026. But here’s the juicy bit—a wildcard appearance this season isn’t completely off the table. If development continues to go well, we might just see this new beast line up on the grid before the year ends.
Stay tuned. Yamaha’s next-gen machine might be coming sooner than expected.
Photos via Jaromir Havranek and GPOne
