**Yamaha’s Engine Revolution: Inline-Four to V4 Transformation on the Horizon for MotoGP 2027**

Is Yamaha ready to abandon its inline-four engine in favor of a V4?

Reports suggest that Yamaha MotoGP might be planning to replace its inline-four engine with a new V4 configuration after a long delay.

Yamaha might soon become the last of the five manufacturers to switch from its current inline-four engine to a V4 engine, aligning with its competitors in preparation for the 2027 MotoGP regulation changes.

The producer has consistently maintained that the inline-four engine design is still a practical choice for a MotoGP bike, even though competitors favor the V4 design for their engines.

Motorsport.com reports that Yamaha is actively developing a completely new engine design in a bid to improve its performance in the top-tier racing class. This move comes after a significant downturn in their success following Fabio Quartararo's victory in the 2021 MotoGP World Championship.

Despite the manufacturer's refusal to comment on the possibility of a new engine design, indications suggest that the leadership may be yielding after having previously opposed their riders' requests to explore a new approach.

A significant shift in philosophy can be attributed to external consultant Luca Marmorini, who joined Yamaha in 2022. Marmorini brought with him a wealth of experience from his time with Aprilia, as well as his stints with Ferrari and Toyota in Formula 1.

Sources indicate that he was firmly convinced that the V4 engine is the sole feasible choice for Yamaha in the future. This strong belief has led the company to initiate a project aimed at potentially replacing the M1's inline-four engine by the time MotoGP transitions to 850cc engine regulations in 2027.

Despite Yamaha's underwhelming performance in 2024, where their best finish was only seventh place achieved by Quartararo in Aragon and Portimao, the French rider has expressed optimism about the promising future ahead. This positive outlook is believed to have influenced his decision to extend his contract for another two years, even though he had been heavily rumored to join Aprilia and Ducati earlier in the season.

In addition, Yamaha plans to expand to four motorcycles in 2025 by attracting Pramac Racing away from Ducati, providing more opportunities for race testing ahead of the transition.

Yamaha's choice to switch to a V4 engine configuration carries a lot of weight. Despite frequent appeals from both riders and engineers to mimic Honda's move away from the inline-four design, Yamaha has consistently resisted. They maintain that the inline-four engine provides better handling characteristics, which helps counterbalance its power limitations.

Nevertheless, Ducati has made significant advancements in engine power with its Desmosedici engines, compelling Honda, KTM, and Aprilia to upgrade their engines to keep up. Meanwhile, Yamaha has fallen behind in the engine development competition.

Accordingly, it appears that Yamaha must move beyond its traditional strategies if it aims to compete effectively with its adversaries in the fiercely competitive series.

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