With less than three years until the new engine regulations in MotoGP take effect, Yamaha is developing a V4 concept, which may or may not be introduced before 2027.
The Iwata manufacturer is determined to return to success in the premier class and is considering abandoning the inline four-cylinder engine that distinguishes them – currently the only team using this architecture since Suzuki’s departure in 2022.
Lin Jarvis, Yamaha’s managing director, explained to the official MotoGP website that while he still believes in the potential of the inline four-cylinder, it’s also important to assess the potential of the V4, given that it’s the engine concept used by other manufacturers:
– The inline-four, in our opinion, still has plenty of capacity to be developed and to be improved. But when you have all of your competitors using V4s, and now as we look towards the 2027 new regulations, it’s important for us to fully understand the potential of a V4 versus the inline-four.