Three Yamaha riders are split over the Japanese manufacturer’s new V4 engine following its second run in the Misano MotoGP test.
The Yamaha riders trialled the V4 project in a private test at Barcelona last week before debuting as a wildcard with Augusto Fernandez over the Misano weekend.
All three riders who will remain within the Yamaha setup for 2026 were given the chance to try the V4 in the Misano test. Fabio Quartararo was given the bike for the whole day, while Alex Rins and Jack Miller split the morning and afternoon sessions.
The best time on the new machinery was set by Quartararo, with the former World Champion setting a 1:31.598 to finish the test in 18th.
However, following the test action, the Frenchman suggested there’s still “a lot of work to do” as the V4 retains the same issues as the current Inline4 package.
“It was the first real test we do [with the V4],” Quartararo told MotoGP.com.
“With the others, we see how is our position right now and [there’s] a lot of work to do. We had the same comments as the other riders.
“We saw with Augusto [Fernandez] how much he struggled in the race yesterday, it’s a little bit of what happened to us today. It is everything that we have to work [on].
“The top speed is pretty slow, the grip is still not there, the electronics we still have a lot of work to do. Aerodynamics, we feel that it is more or less a copy-paste of what we have on the Inline4, so of course we are not ready.
“But it is still the first, second shakedown and we will, like I said but I will repeat, [do] a lot of work.”
‘Braking felt a little better’ – Alex Rins shows optimism after first V4 outing in Misano test
On the other side of the garage, Rins held a more positive outlook on the V4 project.
Rins admitted “it was not easy” to adapt to the machinery, but suggested braking points were easier to manage with the new engine.
“I’m quite happy for how the bike works, for sure it’s a really new project that Yamaha invest a lot of time in,” Rins told MotoGP.com after the test.
“To have two bikes for testing here for the riders, for the Yamaha riders, it was really great and I’m so grateful for that.
“I tried to adapt myself to the bike because it was not easy, we only rode with it in the afternoon from midday until six pm. Overall, it was quite positive.
“I’m happy because I felt like braking a little bit better compared to the Inline 4. It’s a thing that in the Wide2 we were suffering a lot with the brakes, but with the Wide4 it comes naturally.”
Like his factory team-mate, Rins suggested there is still plenty of work needed to make the machinery race-ready, but shared a more optimistic outlook than Quartararo.
“For sure there is a lot to improve, it’s the first time, ok, second time, that we jump on the track with this bike and as I say it is a really new project.
“The next time we have the occasion to jump on the bike, for sure it will be different, different parts fitted in the bike from today so I’m so happy.
“Still as I say there is a lot of room to improve in power, in handling, in many many aspects but they are working hard and we are in a good way.”
Jack Miller: ‘We’re starting fresh’ after Yamaha V4 debut in Misano
Jack Miller also shared some positive thoughts on the new Yamaha project, but further emphasised that the engine is far from a finished product.
The Australian tested the engine in the morning session, and revealed he was able to use his previous experience riding with a V4 engine to help “maximise” the strong points of the project.
“A little shakedown on the V4, obviously it’s a very interesting moment for us,” Miller added after the Misano test.
“I understand the strong points of the V4 and the weak points as well, trying to maximise the areas that are its strong points and trying to improve on the areas that are weak points.
“But we are in a good way, the bike’s working well. Of course, as I said, there’s some areas that we need to improve, but on the flip side of that coin, the areas that we have improved compared to our current M1 are clear and in the right direction, so that is a bonus.
“[We were] working a lot on balance, just trying to understand that it’s a new project for everyone involved.
“Just trying to understand, let’s say, the sweet spot of the bike, where we need to be in terms of geometry, weight distribution, everything like that because it’s a completely new platform and what we know from the old bike is not, let’s say, useless, but we’re starting fresh.
“It’s just understanding, a learning morning for everyone, myself included.”
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