The MotoGP test at Sepang The 2026 pecking order has tipped everyone off early, and Yamaha is clearly far behind.
2026 was always going to be a learning year for the Iwata factory as they introduced and developed the V4 bike. However, many did not expect the issues they encountered in the test.
Yamaha First, they lost their star rider. Fabio Quatararosuffered a broken finger on his right hand in a collision on day one, which ruled him out of the rest of the Test. When he returned to the track in the afternoon, the Frenchman and Toprak Razgatlioglu has an engine problem..
The issue forced the Iwata outfit to take all six of their riders off the track for two days to find a solution. Fortunately, it wasn’t as difficult as before when they returned to Sepang for the third day.
But the fact that they got out of the case is very troubling and shows how much work they have ahead of them. Yamaha say they are ’15 years away’ With the development of V4, and there is a reason for this.
Yamaha employees say privately that Japan’s decision-making with development is ‘too slow’.
Peter Bohm discusses Yamaha’s problems in Malaysia. Oxley Bom MotoGP Podcast. He spoke to some members of the group and expressed that they were not happy with their move through Japan.
“Yeah, that’s the longest story. I mean, there’s a lot of stories going on at the same time in Yama.
“I’ll start with the first, the lack of development, because the bikes in Misano with a swing arm low and a slow engine, we see the same in Valencia, and it’s the same here.
“And I still see the same starter motors, there’s only one or two new starter motors, and still, I mean, you can’t make a new starter from Misano last year until now.
“I know it’s not important, but at the same time, there are a lot of things that tell me that the bike’s development is very slow. I get the feeling from the few people who want to talk to me, and nobody is really discreet.”
But the impression I get from what they’re trying to tell me is that maybe the decision in Japan is slowing down the whole process. This is a bottleneck.
“So yes, but in the end, the lack of development is really a concern. It’s not a bad bike, it just stands up like a V4. And all young V4s always have that problem: bottom, because that’s the real trick.”
Read more: Everything you need to know about Yamaha from MotoGP team riders to the hierarchy
Yamaha riders grumble with V4 engine issues at Sepang.
Engine trouble at Sepang didn’t bode well for Yamaha, leaving their riders frustrated after losing valuable track time. Pramak Horseman Jack Miller refused to even answer questions. About V4.
It was especially damaging to his rookie teammate. Toprak Razgatlioglu. The Turkish rider is learning to adapt from WSBK to MotoGP and is always looking for the best track he can find.
Razgatlioglu is already struggling in the straights. And the place on the bike because of the height. More track time can help resolve these issues, but it’s expensive to miss out on mechanical problems in Malaysia.
Razgatlioglu is not happy with Yamaha In relation to the problem, it was hinted that he could call the manager and discuss the ‘stress’. Iwata’s outfit couldn’t have gotten off to a worse start to the 2026 season.
