Alex Rins' Admission: Yamaha’s V4 Engine Is Nowhere to Be Seen

Alex Harrington | Feb 8, 2025

Apr 13, 2024; Austin, TX, USA; Alex Rins (42) of Spain and Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP rides during practice for the MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas at Circuit of The Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Alex Rins has discussed Yamaha’s ongoing development of its highly anticipated V4 engine development for MotoGP, a project that remains under wraps since its announcement last year.

This engine has been a hot topic among MotoGP enthusiasts due to its potential impact on Yamaha’s racing performance. Traditionally, Yamaha has relied on inline-four engines since the four-stroke era began over twenty years ago. This engine configuration has been known for providing smooth power delivery and assisting in corner speed, a quality that has been beneficial in numerous races for the team.

However, the emergence of V4 engines with their uneven firing by other manufacturers like Ducati, Honda, KTM, and Aprilia has tilted the scale towards more aggressive power delivery and superior aerodynamic capabilities. Yamaha’s decision to develop a V4 engine is seen as an attempt to keep pace with its rivals by possibly integrating those cutting-edge functionalities.  

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Five months have passed since the V4 project was made public, but Yamaha has been surprisingly quiet about the progress of this development. The lack of transparency has left many stakeholders, including its riders, in the dark about when the V4 will finally debut on the track.

Yamaha’s factory rider, Alex Rins, shared his uncertainty:

“They didn’t give us any date," he said via Crash.net.

He also mentioned that despite the riders' curiosity, Yamaha prefers to keep the timeline vague.

"For sure, as riders, we ask, but they prefer to keep it apart, to not lose time for the rider to think about when we will test it," Rins explained.  

The V4 project stands at a crucial juncture with the upcoming 2027 MotoGP regulations, which will see engine capacity reduced to 850cc. This adds a layer of complexity to Yamaha's decision-making, as the team must choose whether to fully transition to the V4 engine or stick with their inline-four models under the impending rules. Technically, Yamaha's current engine setup offers a smoother power curve. However, it falls short in terms of raw acceleration and aerodynamic integration when compared to the V4 engines that are prevalent among other teams. The V4's more compact shape is its main advantage.

Despite the expectations tied to the V4 engine, insiders from Yamaha admit that its use is not a straightforward engine swap; it unsurprisingly necessitates a comprehensive redesign of the bike. This includes adjustments to the chassis and weight distribution—a task not to be taken lightly.

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As of now, the development of Yamaha’s V4 has reportedly only touched the initial phases of bench testing, and as Massimo Meregalli, the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team Manager, echoed Rins’ sentiments. "For sure, it’s impossible to say anything," Meregalli stated.  

The lack of track testing thus far along with a canceled test that was supposed to happen in December last year reveals just how much more Yamaha needs to prepare before the V4 can be considered race-ready. Rins candidly said:

"I mean, I think for what they say to us, that they are going to bring it when it’s going to be better than the [current] bike."

Rins downplayed the necessity of having a V4 engine:

"To have a V4 engine is not mandatory. In the end, Honda has a V4 engine, and we are more or less with problems." Similarly, Meregalli summed it up aptly: "For sure, we would like to go on track [with the V4] as soon as possible but we will do that when we will be ready."  

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