Here’s what we know about Yamaha’s V4 engine issue

This week was the first time that manufacturers revved up their 2026 MotoGP prototypes ahead of the new campaign, and it was a pretty significant one for Yamaha in particular.  

However, the Iwata-based brand detected an issue with its new engine on day-one, which quite frankly, squashed much of the hype surrounding its new V4 power unit. 

A lowside crash for the company’s star rider Fabio Quartararo led to the 2021 MotoGP world champion suffering a broken finger, which ultimately saw him sit out the remainder of the test. However, the Frenchman would have been forced to sit out day-two regardless of his injury had he continued, because Yamaha soon realised it had an issue with the new engine.  

The problem with the V4 was detected in one of Quartararo’s bikes, which led to an investigation before Yamaha chose not to ride on the second day as a precaution. 

It was also described as an issue that Yamaha had not experienced before with one of its power units. Speaking to MotoGP.com, Yamaha’s team director for the factory team, Massimo Meregalli, said:  

“More than ‘big’ it was really unexpected, unknown. So, [it was] a problem that we never had and, for them, it was really important to understand. Luckily they were able [to].”

While it was likely that Yamaha’s riders were disappointed to miss out on valuable testing time, Meregalli said the decision not to run the bikes was also taken with safety in mind.

Meregalli added:  

“At the end, they [the riders] had to accept [it]. We had the same feeling because we had a long list of items to re-evaluate, but in the end it was a kind of [a] safety decision because this could really compromise maybe the safety and then we understand and agree.” 

Yamaha’s new V4 engine will next be in action at the two-day pre-season test in Thailand, on 21-22 February at the Chang International Circuit, in Buriram.

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