Yamaha’s Inline-Four Ends Iconic Run of Championships as Team Prepares V4 for 2026 Season
Yamaha Motorcycles is making a major change to its racing bike, the YZR-M1. The company is replacing the inline-four engine with a V4 engine. The inline-four engine has brought Yamaha numerous successes in MotoGP, including winning 125 races. Now, the company is focusing on V4 engines in light of future technology. This change will be effective from 2026.
Yamaha Motorcycles is embarking on a new era. Indeed, the company's racing team recently announced the official retirement of the inline-four engine fitted in the MotoGP-specific YZR-M1. Now, a new engine will replace that one. This new engine will be a V4. And this too is not just a technical change but the beginning of an exciting future relating to both Yamaha and global fans.
The inline-four has long been synonymous with success for Yamaha in MotoGP. This was an engine that helped ValentinoRossi, Jorge Lorenzo, and Fabio Quartararo to great heights of success. The inline-four engine thus participated in 429 Grand Prix races. Yamaha managed to score 125 race victories and more than 350 podiums with this engine. In addition, it won eight rider championships, seven team titles, five manufacturer titles, and five MotoGP Triple Crowns.
Massimo Bartolini, Technical Director of Yamaha Factory Racing, stated that the switch from an inline-four to a V4 is a major step. The team is working to perfect this package for 2026 and throughout the season. The V4 engine also holds strategic importance, as it will aid in the motorcycle's layout and aerodynamic development under the 2027 technical regulations.
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