Yamaha and Honda in MotoGP: if Iwata weeps, Asaka laughs

They both found themselves in the MotoGP doldrums, but now the two remaining Japanese manufacturers in the premier class are living diametrically opposite situations. In the thick of the Sepang Official Test, Honda is growing and glimpsing the possibility of presenting itself as a credible podium contender over the course of 2026. A completely different story at Yamaha, where the YZR-M1V project has suffered a major setback.

The headline from the second day of testing is undoubtedly the decision by Yamaha management to halt the testing program. Following a technical issue that occurred in the afternoon of the first day with Fabio Quartararo on the bike, for safety and reliability reasons all M1 V4s were precautionarily grounded. Until the cause is discovered and appropriate countermeasures are identified to solve the problem, the present factory riders (Rins, Miller, Razgatlioglu with Quartararo already in the medical center) and test riders (Fernandez and Dovizioso) will remain on the sidelines. Garage shutters down for what, at least since Spielberg 2018, represents for the House of the Three Tuning Forks the lowest point from an image standpoint in recent times.

Aside from this issue—which could lead to a sensational early end to testing (they can make up for it thanks to private tests under D concessions, but still...)—the YZR-M1 V4 just isn’t working. In Sepang the engine was “unleashed” in terms of peak power, yet it still paid roughly a 10 km/h top-speed deficit on the straights. Yamaha also presented two different fairings and as many swingarms, but the performance—apart from Quartararo’s occasional flashes—just isn’t there. It was known that 2026 would be an apprenticeship year and that was factored in from the moment they decided to switch from an inline-four to a V4, but not like this.

A completely different story at Honda. With HRC reorganized, a European hub established, two test teams set up and bolstered by a strong recruitment drive, the RC213V is on the move. In terms of top speed—one of the Achilles’ heels of 2025—it’s on Ducati’s level. With all its riders, the RCV now seems a balanced bike, almost the second-best package behind only Ducati, going toe-to-toe (based on what we’ve seen so far in testing) with Aprilia. The 1:56 set by Joan Mir on the morning of day two is quite telling—just think that, no more than 12 months ago, the Top 10 seemed like a mirage.