Fabio Quartararo, the factory Yamaha rider and 2021 world champion, has expressed his readiness to race Yamaha’s new V4 MotoGP race bike this year, even if its performance is marginally slower than the current in-line four-cylinder machine. This statement comes after a disappointing result for Yamaha at the recent Austrian Grand Prix, where all four Yamaha bikes finished at the back of the field.
Given the poor performance in Austria, there have been increasing calls within the MotoGP paddock for Yamaha to accelerate the introduction of the V4 model to race conditions, rather than sticking to the original cautious plan.
Pressure Grows for Earlier Testing and Use of the V4 Model
Yamaha has planned to limit the test riders’ exposure to the V4 bike before allowing the factory riders to try it, likely postponing their first experience to the Misano test scheduled for next month. Until now, only Yamaha’s test riders have ridden the new V4, a project initiated last year to replace the in-line four which has struggled recently.
Quartararo voiced his dissatisfaction with Yamaha’s delayed approach:
“Yes, I wanted to test it [already],”
he said.
“My feeling was we had to test it [already], but I’m not the one that chooses if I need to ride the bike or not. I think they are scared that the bike is not ready and is not good enough for me to try it.”
Quartararo Open to Racing the New Bike If It Shows Competitive Potential
Despite these concerns, Quartararo did not dismiss the idea of racing the new V4 bike during the ongoing season. He acknowledged that change might be necessary considering Yamaha’s recent struggles and welcomes the chance to evaluate where the new machine stands:
Image of: MotoGP
“I mean, it depends how good or bad it is, but of course we need a change. And also it would be an idea for us to see where our bike is.”
When asked whether a performance gap of less than half a second compared to the current in-line four would justify bringing the V4 onto the grid this year, Quartararo responded affirmatively:
“For me, I think yes. I mean, I think that if I try it and I’m less than half a second off my lap time, I think it’s a good step. Because it would be the first time that I would really use it.”
Current Performance Gap and Future Prospects for Yamaha’s V4 Machine
So far, Yamaha has released limited information on the V4 project and has not yet conducted any public testing. However, Alex Rins, Quartararo’s Yamaha Factory Racing teammate, revealed shortly before the Czech Grand Prix that the V4 was still approximately two seconds a lap slower than the current bike at that stage of development.
This insight has fueled discussions about whether Yamaha should expedite the deployment of the V4 model to improve competitiveness during the remainder of the season.
The next milestone for Yamaha will be the Misano test, which is expected to provide clearer data on whether the V4 machine can close the gap in performance and offer a viable option for the race riders moving forward.
