Yamaha revolution: it’s official—starting in 2026, a switch to the V4 engine

Yamaha has confirmed that in the 2026 MotoGP World Championship it will field four M1s equipped with V4 engines.

About half an hour before the start of the race in Valencia, Yamaha decided to issue an official statement announcing that from the next MotoGP season it will use a V4 engine instead of the inline-four. No surprise: it was already clear that the Iwata manufacturer would make this choice. It has invested a lot of money in the project, and from 2026 the four M1s on the grid will have the new power unit. As is known, this weekend it is being used by test rider Augusto Fernandez, who is racing at Ricardo Tormo as a wild card.

With its inline four-cylinder engine, Yamaha has enjoyed great success in MotoGP: in 429 Grands Prix it has won 125 races, achieved over 350 podiums, captured 8 riders’ titles, 7 team titles, 5 constructors’ titles, and 5 Triple Crowns. Riders such as Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo, and Fabio Quartararo have become world champions.

In recent challenging years, the Iwata company has carried out many evaluations and realized that to achieve a breakthrough it was necessary to also change the engine configuration, aligning with the competition, all of whom race with V4s. Obviously, simply changing the power unit is not enough to start winning again; every aspect of the M1 needs to be developed properly.

Takahiro Sumi (General Manager, Motor Sports Development Division) - "The inline four-cylinder has been at the heart of Yamaha’s philosophy for decades. It has delivered unforgettable victories and shaped our reputation for precision and control. We are proud of what this engine has accomplished and of the riders who made history with it, as together they forged our racing heritage. However, MotoGP is constantly evolving, and we must evolve with it. The V4 represents a new chapter for Yamaha, combining our ‘Spirit of Challenge’ with our racing DNA and the technical solutions needed to fight at the front."

Massimo Bartolini (Technical Director, Yamaha Factory Racing) - "The decision to adopt a V4 engine was not taken lightly. As you can imagine, the development process has been lengthy. We analyzed every performance aspect, from acceleration to corner behavior, and concluded that this configuration provides the differences we expected, so we will have the potential to translate them into advantages.

The switch to a V4 configuration is equally strategic, as it allows us to position ourselves for the 2027 technical regulations, when this engine configuration will offer an advantage in terms of bike layout and aerodynamic development."