#v4

After abandoning its long-running inline4 concept in favor of a V4 engine for 2026, Yamaha hoped to close the gap to the front runners. However, despite ongoing development work, the new package has struggled to deliver the expected performance gains.

Fabio Quartararo has been vocal about the situation for quite some time and now admits that he is no longer expecting significant progress this season. Quartararo believes Yamaha reacted too slowly to the challenges of the V4 project.

As Quartararo stated.

"I don’t see the reaction. I think we are in one moment of the championship where we will not see more reaction. We already started a bit late with the V4 and they have to prepare also next year, so I don't think we will see any reaction for this year. don't really put [Mugello] behind me because it's what we have done in the last month that I'm not really happy [with].

I'm not happy about how we improved our bike. It's the same bike as September 2025. So from the first prototype to now, I expected to make a big step forward, but we are still there. My job is to push, to give my best and it's what I will do if I feel comfortable on the bike."

Yamaha made a major technical shift for the 2026 season by abandoning its long-standing inline4 engine concept in favour of an entirely new V4 project.The inline-four configuration had delivered significant success for Yamaha over many years, including multiple world championships. However, with the competitive landscape of moto gp increasingly dominated by V4 machinery, Yamaha elected to completely redesign its premier class motorcycle for 2026.

As expected, the transition has not been entirely smooth, with the manufacturer still working through several development issues in order to make the bike consistently competitive. Yamaha Technical Director Paolo Pavesio admitted that the company even approached Valentino Rossi about the possibility of testing the new machine.

As Pavesio told.

"I told him, 'Why don't you try it?' We'll see… maybe it would be something nice he replied."

Yamaha transitioned exclusively to a V4 engine concept for the 2026 season. As anticipated, the new package has encountered several challenges, which the team is actively working to resolve.

Team Manager Massimo Meregalli acknowledged that while difficulties were expected, the development process has proven more demanding than initially anticipated.

As Meregalli said:

"For sure, we were aware it was not going to be easy. I have to say that I thought it would be slightly easier. Unfortunately, we are facing a path that maybe we didn’t expect, which is slowing down a bit the process of the development. But, the team itself is pushing as always, as much as we can. And the atmosphere, I would say, is good.

When there is something new, already this brings positivity and it’s an additional boost. We are all aware, since we started this season, we thought - and we talked internally - that the first part was going to be demanding and tough. But we still believe in the second part we might start seeing different results. So, let’s say we are just at the beginning, and so far we are where we thought we could be."

Fabio Quartararo arrived at Jerez with strong memories, having finished runner-up at the same event just one year earlier. However, the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix painted a completely different picture.

Fabio Quartararo managed to score points with seventh place in the Sprint Race but could only finish fourteenth in Sunday’s Grand Prix, highlighting the ongoing struggles following Yamaha’s switch to an exclusive V4 engine configuration this season.

While development difficulties were expected, Fabio Quartararo made it clear that the performance deficit cannot be explained by rider performance alone.

As Quartararo said.

"There are many areas where we’re struggling. Even when we fix one problem, another one pops up. Personally, I’m not stupid—I know how to drive and I know how much ground we’re losing; in fact, it’s plain to see. A year ago I was on the podium; today, however, I’m 30 seconds behind."