Jack Miller is gearing up to work on enhancing Yamaha’s new V4 prototype, designed to replace the inline engine M1 starting with the 2026 MotoGP season. Earlier in the year, a less powerful version of this V4 bike made three wildcard appearances with test rider Augusto Fernandes, notably earning points on its debut at Misano.
Miller tested the V4 during post-race sessions alongside factory riders Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins and also participated in two additional days of offseason testing in Valencia with the new machine. Speaking at the track, Miller detailed the progress Yamaha needs to make for the V4 to become race-ready.
He emphasized that reliability is the top priority, noting that so far, the bike has shown promise in this area. Following that, the focus shifts to increasing the bike’s power, which the team believes they can achieve. Miller also mentioned that the suspension system is well-established, so the main work will be on refining electronics and the chassis.
Miller highlighted the importance of having a complete package rather than experimenting with different components, allowing Yamaha’s test team to work as they normally would to tune race bikes. The test team has been shaping the bike to hand over to the racers, and Miller expressed hope that the riders can now start fine-tuning it.
On the official Valencia test day, Miller placed 20th, about 1.5 seconds behind the fastest rider Raul Fernandez, then stayed on for additional private testing sessions alongside his Yamaha teammate. The full-fledged 2026 V4 is expected to make its official debut at the Sepang shakedown test from January 29 to 31, where all Yamaha riders can participate before the main MotoGP test at the same venue.
Fan Take: This development signals a major shift for Yamaha, moving from the trusty inline engine to a V4 setup, which could shake up the competitive landscape in MotoGP. For racing fans, it promises a new era of innovation and potentially more thrilling performances from one of the sport’s iconic manufacturers.
