Yamaha is ready to begin track testing of the new V4 engine for its MotoGP bike, although the initial run at Jerez last week had to be delayed.
Yamaha, the only MotoGP manufacturer still running inline four-cylinder engines, has been pushing with the development of the new unit in an attempt to catch up with its rivals after several difficult seasons.
Its engineers in Iwata have been working since mid-2024 on a prototype of the new V4 engine, an alternative to the inline four-cylinder engine that has powered the YZR M1 throughout the MotoGP era, and which has brought the team very good results, especially since 2004, with the arrival of Valentino Rossi, and in the 2010s, with Jorge Lorenzo's three titles.
Although Fabio Quartararo added one more crown for the Japanese company in 2021, the performance of Yamaha's machinery has left it out of the fight for victories and without options to fight with Ducati - the manufacturer currently dominating the series.
To close that gap, Yamaha has been reinforced with a large number of engineers and technicians, some of them signed directly from the Bologna-based manufacturer, as well as hiring F1 engine consultant Luca Marmorini, who already worked with Aprilia, and who advised the change in the engine concept.
Earlier this year, outgoing team boss Lin Jarvis confirmed the engine was in development, although he ruled out that it would be on track before mid-2025.
However, work accelerated and it was rumoured that Yamaha would set up a private test at Sepang this month to bring the new engine to the track, with Andrea Dovizioso set to shake down the new machinery.
Yamaha factory rider Alex Rins revealed on Motorsport Network's 'Por Orejas' podcast that the new V4 engine was due to debut last week.
"The idea was to test it at the KTM test in Jerez, but in the end, it wasn't ready and couldn't be tested," the Spaniard revealed during the interview.
According to Rins, Yamaha's plan was to use the two track days to test the M1 with the V4 engine, but the unit was not ready.
Yamaha said it is not planning to do any more tests for the rest of the year. As such, the V4 engine is likely to make its debut at the shakedown for testers and rookies, which is scheduled to take place at Sepang from 31 January to 2 February.
As a team with all concessions open, Yamaha factory riders Rins and Quartararo, and new satellite team Pramac-Yamaha's Miguel Oliveira and Jack Miller, could take part in the shakedown, as well as the official test of the year at the same circuit on 5-7 February.
