Yamaha is the last bastion for inline fours in the prototype class, or at least it was. For 2025, Yamaha will be the only manufacturer in the premier class of MotoGP to run an inline-four-cylinder powerplant, but due to the concessions afforded to certain manufacturers next season, we might see the first V4 Yamaha of the modern era of MotoGP.
It's no secret that Yamaha is moving to a V4 unit, and the team wants it on track before the regulations change in 2027. But it's MotoGP's concession rules that put Yamaha in a unique position to test it next year. Here's how.
Concessions are based on how many wins a manufacturer has tiered into four classes: A, B, C, and D. Yamaha and Honda fall into class D, meaning they get the most concessions, whereas Ducati receives the least in class A. I won't get into the nitty-gritty of what concessions each class gets, but you can watch Simon Crafar do a quick deep dive in the reel below.
The most important thing to note is that while Ducati will have just eight engines that are frozen in terms of development, Yamaha will get 10 engines that it can develop throughout the year. The team can test new engines throughout the championship and at any MotoGP circuit, as long as it's not within 14 days of a MotoGP race at the same circuit. But it gets even better for Yamaha.
Both Yamaha and Honda can use their test and factory riders to develop the bikes throughout the year and are the only manufacturers to get this concession. All this, and the fact that Yamaha receives 260 tires to test on versus Ducatis 170 tires, makes 2025 the most likely year we'll see a Yamaha V4 engine in 2025. It's the only thing that makes sense.
Why would Yamaha wait until 2026 to launch a V4 when an entirely new set of regulations take effect in 2027? Develop now and get ready to cut the V4 to 850cc in 2027. Are you excited to see Yamaha hopefully make a return to consistent top 10 finishes, or sad to see the last remaining inline-four-cylinder engine leave the paddock? Let us know in the comments.
