Yamaha Will Finally Ditch Inline-Four and Adopt V4 in MotoGP
Yamaha is said to be in the final stages of development on a new V4 engine, switching from its famed crossplane inline-four as a result
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Technical developments, aerodynamics advances - you name it and at least one MotoGP brand has done it when it comes to producing a first of its kind. However, Yamaha’s switch from its famed crossplane inline-four engine to the V4 which is currently king thanks to Ducati, is understood to be very close to completion, making for unquestionably one of the biggest changes we’ve seen in racing for a long time.
Yamaha was for many years joined by Suzuki in running an inline-four engine, and the success of both brands was very good at times, with Suzuki winning the Covid-19-affected 2020 world championship in the hands of Joan Mir before Fabio Quartararo took Yamaha to the title in 2021.
But Suzuki pulled out of MotoGP in 2022, and Yamaha has gone backwards to the point where it now struggles to fight for top-ten results. What that has done is propel Yamaha into change, and while some of the changed parts on the bike were smaller than others, it has now seemingly transformed its ethos by kicking the inline-four engine to one side.
Ducati, Aprilia and KTM all run V4 engines, and the three brands have tended to have a distinct advantage over Yamaha in recent seasons, some of which was in the power and top speed of the bike alone. Meanwhile, most brands in MotoGP are favouring the V4 engine ahead of the new rules in 2027, and this could be one of the reasons why Yamaha is adding its name to that list.
Yamaha has been open about changing its engine concept, although references to the V4 have been very scarce. However, according to Autosport, Yamaha confirmed at the Misano MotoGP last weekend that the transition to a V4 was not only underway, but moving quicker than expected. The last time Yamaha ran a V4 engine in Grand Prix racing was during the 1980s.
The report from Autosport also states that Yamaha wishes to put a 1000cc V4 on track before engine capacities are reduced to 850 as part of the regulation changes in 2027.
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