Yamaha took the wraps off the new YZR-M1 in Jakarta on Wednesday as riders Fabio Quatararo and Alex Rins prepare to race their V4 engine in the 2026 MotoGP season.
Most manufacturers have prioritized their bike designs for the 2027 MotoGP regulations, with the series moving from 1,000 cc to 850 cc engines. MotoGP will ban all ride height devices in 2027, when Pirelli will replace Michelin as sole tire supplier.
But Yamaha They enter 2026 with a two-pronged project to develop their 850cc bike alongside the 1,000cc V4 package used this year. The Japanese manufacturer has finally moved with its competitors Aprilia; Ducatiafter Honda and KTM replaced their inline-four engines with V4s.
Quattro sees clear areas where they need to improve their Yamaha V4 engineAhead of the first 2026 pre-season test. The Iwata marque will participate in the shakedown test at Sepang on January 29-31. Yamaha is the only 2026 MotoGP constructor with concession level d.
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Yamaha 2026 front wing, fairings and exhaust concept ‘nearly identical’ to Ducati
Quatararo Yamaha wanted their V4-engined M1 to improve its turning capabilities and the engine’s outright power. Yamaha has stuck with an inline-four engine for years because of its superior maneuverability, but Quattroro has claimed the brand’s last Grand Prix win in 2022.
Read more: From Valentino Rossi to Jorge Lorenzo, Yamaha’s five best riders
Ducati have dominated MotoGP amid Yamaha’s win drought, with Bologna’s Bullets bikes racking up 60 victories – including scoring all but one in 2024 – since Quattararo’s latest victory. And Yamaha seems to have taken a lot of inspiration from Ducati with their 2026 bike.
As he says Engine footprintThe lower and front fairings, as well as the exhaust concept, on the new-2026 Yamaha M1 are ‘close to the same’ as the Ducati GP26. Yamaha’s new front wing also follows the path favored by Ducati in the title of straight-four riders.
Yamaha’s move to a V4 engine opens the door to a new aero package.
Yamaha has adopted the three-stage front wing concept in recent years, while Ducati opts for a box-shaped design for their aero. But now Yamaha has also adopted a box-shaped wing.
Who will be Yamaha’s top rider in the 2026 MotoGP season?
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The straight-line speed limitations of the inline-four engine had previously prevented Yamaha from using more extreme aerodynamic features on their bikes, creating more drag that the Iwata outfit couldn’t handle. So, you are capitalizing on getting a Yamaha V4 engine.
Additionally, an inline-four engine requires a wider bike, so Yamaha had to design the aero on the bike’s wheelbase taller. But the V4 package is narrower, so Yamaha can now design their aero sideways and generate more power at steeper lean angles.
