Yamaha is entering the V4 era in Valencia, but the Valencia test has brought mixed reactions—major issues with front-end feel, grip, and basic setup.
For the first time since Misano, Fabio Quartararo, Jack Miller, and Alex Rins had the opportunity to ride the new V4 Yamaha during an official test day in Valencia. But instead of euphoria, mixed feedback dominated.
Although the 2026 project showed promising signs, there were still significant areas for improvement, particularly in terms of the basic setup and front-end feel. A second, private test day on Wednesday will be crucial in providing Yamaha with the right solutions over the winter.
Quartararo: “The V4 lacks our strongest point”
After the rain-shortened opening day, Quartararo emphasized that the focus was not yet on finding an improvement over Misano.
“We had to find the best setting first. It wasn’t about having something better than at the Misano test.” However, he said that they had not discovered “anything really important” at this stage. Yamaha is still a long way from having a good base. “We spent a lot of time changing a lot of things in the setup because we clearly lack our strongest point: the feeling for the front wheel.” As a result, he spent a lot of time in the pits and was only able to complete a few laps (46) in total.
He described the day as “very hectic” because the primary focus was on getting the bike to a working state. “Tomorrow will be important in terms of finding a way forward with the chassis, electronics, engine, and aero. Today was mainly about getting back on the new bike.”
STEADY ON! Fabio Quartararo saves it ValenciaTest ⏱️ pic.twitter.com/BwyNvXN95v
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Quartararo said that the lap time (1:29.927 minutes) was achieved with the new machine, but with soft tires and without focusing on performance.
He said it was essential to give the engineers clear directions: “We have to tell them exactly what we need. Today, we were lacking a lot at the front end. The bike didn’t handle well in the corners, we lacked power, and the grip was different than expected.“
Despite the difficulties, he liked the fundamentally new riding experience: ”The riding style is completely different from an inline engine, but I like how the V4 rides.” The engine is significantly smoother than the previous one, but it clearly lacks power.
Miller sees a new but promising approach
Pramac rider Miller was moderately satisfied after his day of testing on the V4 Yamaha: “A decent first day. Of course, there is still work to be done, but we are on the right track.” According to Miller, the main purpose of the test was to understand the new machine and develop a feel for it.
He praised Quartararo’s strong time, which he himself was a good nine tenths off. However, he said he had identified “clear points” where he needed to work on feedback and setup: “Fortunately, we have another day tomorrow to iron out a few details and gather the necessary information for Malaysia.”
On the much-discussed front-end feel, Miller admitted: “The M1 had a remarkable front end. When you come from that, every other bike feels like a step back.”
He could therefore understand the frustration recently expressed by test rider Augusto Fernandez. Nevertheless, Miller was optimistic: “Yes, we have to work on that. But once we’ve found a direction, it will be a solvable issue.“
Technically, Miller classified the V4 as a mixture of characteristics from different manufacturers: ”It clearly has Yamaha DNA. The sound is a bit like Honda or KTM. In terms of weight and inertia, it’s more reminiscent of Ducati. At the same time, the engine has its own unique characteristics.”
The decisive factor for him is that Yamaha is now fully committed to the new project: “Now that the old project is complete, all hands are free for the new machine—this manpower alone will drive development forward,” said Miller.
Rins: “I feel much better when braking now.”
Unlike his brand colleagues, Rins was able to make significant progress compared to Misano, even though hardly any major components were changed on the bike itself: “The machine has improved slightly. The gearbox and major parts haven’t been changed, but I felt better than in Misano.”
He was particularly pleased that the power transmission now works much more smoothly. Although Rins only completed a few laps (33), those he did complete were “real, meaningful laps.” He tested many different setups and experimented with the bike’s center of gravity and chassis geometry. When asked whether the V4 was fundamentally better suited to his style than the inline engine bike, Rins replied clearly: “When braking, yes. Much better, in fact.” With the inline four-cylinder, he practically only stopped the bike with the front tire. With the V4, he can use both tires for the first time: “When braking, the bike skids slightly, which helps a lot.” But even Rins still sees major shortcomings. “We’re still lacking a bit of top speed. And we’re struggling when accelerating out of corners,” he notes.
“We can lift the bike better than with the inline engine, but that’s exactly why we lack traction when exiting corners.” This will be his main focus for Wednesday.