No new Yamaha MotoGP engine until after French GP

Fabio Quartararo says it is unlikely Yamaha will be able to bring an updated version of its V4 MotoGP engine until after the French Grand Prix in May.

Last weekend’s Thailand Grand Prix exposed Yamaha’s straightline speed deficit in 2026, with Quartararo running 6.5kph slower than the fastest bikes at Buriram, and the other M1 riders losing significantly more in the speed trap.

Since pre-season testing, there has been speculation about the Japanese manufacturer introducing an early engine upgrade to boost the performance of its 2026 challenger, although no clear timeline had been given.

Speaking at Buriram last weekend, Quartararo indicated that Yamaha riders will have to continue with the current engine through the French Grand Prix at Le Mans.

“I don’t know when it will be, but I know that at least in Le Mans we will not have a new engine. I’m not 100% sure, but for Brazil, USA and Qatar, we will not have any.”

Yamaha has effectively developed a clean-sheet design around its new V4 engine, a major undertaking that left it playing catch-up in the final year of the current rules cycle.

It was forced to limit engine mileage during February testing, while a safety issue also sidelined it from action for a full day of running at Sepang.

While the V4 motor remains the most visible weak point, the Iwata-based manufacturer will also need to find gains in other areas of the bike to catch up to the competition.

Yamaha MotoGP boss Paulo Pavesio was less committal about a timeline for updates in 2026, engine or otherwise, but insisted there is scope to extract more speed from the current package.

“It’s correct that we are judged by the time and by the result on the track,” said Pavesio. “But the bike has changed a lot from last year’s first wildcard in Misano. I think we are at frame number three already, and swingarm number three.

“We are planning by understanding this material. Sometimes it’s not just about putting in completely new material. I’m saying we are still finding the base package, and with the base package, we can start working in a bit more consistent way.

“The engine is a bit of a different story because you measure the engine on a bench. We know we have power to look for; we have a plan. Checking the top speed, I hope you will see in the coming races we can find the correct compromise between performance and reliability. This is the tricky part.

“But again, it’s the same for everyone. I’m not saying it’s specifically difficult for us. The extra difficulty for us is this is a completely new engine configuration which we are learning.”

We want to hear from you!

– The Autosport.com Team