V4 Engine Not the Answer to Yamaha's MotoGP Problems?
Alex Rins is hopeful of seeing Yamaha’s new V4 MotoGP engine in the middle of next season, but rear grip issues must be addressed first
Yamaha is building a new V4 MotoGP engine in the hope of becoming more competitive, and as a result it will spell the end of inline-four engines in Grand Prix racing.
After Suzuki withdrew from the sport at the conclusion of 2022, Yamaha has remained the lone inline-four engine supplier on the grid.
But after falling further and further behind the likes of Ducati, Aprilia and KTM, all of which use a V4 engine configuration, the Iwata brand is building its own V4 which could be ready for the middle of next season, according to Alex Rins.
The Spanish rider recently said: “If everything goes well, maybe we can have it [for the] middle of the season next year.”
But Rins, along with team-mate Fabio Quartararo and Remy Gardner, who has taken part in three wildcard/stand-in appearances this season, have all admitted rear grip issues are a more pressing concern than the type of engine Yamaha uses.
“If I compare the two engines. The KTM was more linear. Even though I felt like it's still quite an aggressive engine,” added Gardner.
“I don't know if that [more linear KTM feeling] was electronics or just the engine character, but it was a little bit easier to ride. I had it ‘in my hand’ a bit more.
“At the moment, I am struggling with that [on the Yamaha]. Either it's too much or not enough. The electronics have a bit of a hard time controlling that as well.
“So [the Yamaha V4] could bring some positives to the project. But honestly, the biggest problem right now is rear grip.”
Gardner is not convinced that swapping to a V4 will greatly alter how the electronics work.
He said: “Honestly, I don't think the electronics work in a hugely different way [if it’s an inline or] V4.
“Maybe they’d have to work a little bit less. Because electronics can only work so fast and there's things happening even quicker than that, mechanically, that it just can't keep up with at the moment.
“So [if the] grip situation was a bit better, [if] rideability was a bit better, the electronics wouldn’t be so on the limit to control everything and give that dull feeling that you don't like on the throttle.
“But Yamaha is working hard. I've seen it first-hand. I know they'll be pushing really hard this winter. I'm sure you'll start to see some stuff next year.”
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After graduating with a sports journalism degree, Robert joined Crash.net to lead the WorldSBK coverage in 2021, while also providing MotoGP coverage. Fulfilling that role for over three years, Robert was able to put his knowledge about all things racing to the test.
