P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Yamaha has committed to racing its V4 MotoGP engine next year
Yamaha has officially announced it will retire its longstanding inline-four MotoGP engine and switch to a V4 starting from the 2026 season. The decision to develop a V4 bike was made last year, marking a departure from their inline-four engine used since 2002. With Suzuki’s withdrawal in 2022, Yamaha was the only non-V4 powered bike on the grid, facing pressure as their performance declined. The move to a V4 engine is seen as a strategic effort to retain rider Fabio Quartararo beyond 2026. Yamaha’s V4 debut at the San Marino Grand Prix has had mixed results, with challenges around front-end confidence and speed trap performance still to be addressed. Despite Yamaha’s inline-four legacy of eight riders’ titles and 125 race wins, the shift to a V4 signifies a new era to compete at the top level of MotoGP.
