Yamaha “very close” to V4 MotoGP decision: “We are fully committed to it”

Yamaha is “fully committed” to its MotoGP V4 project and is “very close” to making a decision about racing the new engine, according to Paolo Pavesio.

Yamaha, which has raced inline-four engines since the first year of the four-stroke regulations in MotoGP in 2002, began developing its first MotoGP V4 engine in 2024.

The engine has been tested by its factory test riders, Augusto Fernandez and Andrea Dovizioso, during 2025, and Yamaha’s race riders could also test it at the post-race test at Misano in September.

There is also the possibility of the engine being used in a wildcard later this year by the aforementioned Fernandez, who has wildcarded twice this year: in Aragon, and at the Czech Grand Prix.

No confirmation has yet been made by Yamaha about which engine design it will race with in 2026, but Paolo Pavesio says the company is “close” to making that decision.

“We are getting very close [to a decision],” Yamaha Racing Managing Director Paolo Pavesio told the MotoGP international TV feed during practice on Friday at the Red Bull Ring.

“As we said, we need to take all the time we have because it’s a very big challenge, of course, and as I always was saying the M1’s performance is anyway improving, even if we are not where we want to be yet.

“This making the job of the V4 to be at least as good as the M1 when we restart a bit more difficult. It’s a hard development project but we are fully committed to it.”

Pavesio added: “We are coming close, also because [...] the decision has to be made, if we want to be ready, as we hope to be ready, for next season.”