Yamaha Debuts Upgraded Chassis for V4 MotoGP Prototype at Valencia Finale

Yamaha’s determined push to regain competitiveness in MotoGP will see its V4 prototype machine equipped with a newly designed chassis as it takes to the track at the season-ending Valencia Grand Prix this weekend. This development arrives on the heels of feedback from test rider Augusto Fernandez, specifically addressing issues encountered during the bike’s recent outing at the Malaysian Grand Prix.

The Valencia race marks the third wildcard appearance for Yamaha’s V4 engine platform in the 2024 season. Significantly, the event will be immediately followed by a crucial test session scheduled for Tuesday of next week. This test will involve all four of Yamaha’s contracted riders for the 2025 and 2026 seasons, including highly anticipated rookie Toprak Razgatlioglu, who will get their first taste of the latest iteration of the V4 bike.

Fernandez disclosed that the new chassis is a recent creation, having been absent from Yamaha’s private test held just days prior at the Aragon circuit. At Aragon, Fernandez and Razgatlioglu both rode the previous version of the V4, making the Valencia debut a critical evaluation point. Fernandez expressed optimism that the updated chassis would offer a tangible solution to the handling problems that plagued the bike during its initial competitive showing at Misano in September.

"This chassis is the first concrete response we have to the issues we faced [at Misano]," Fernandez stated. "We are hopeful that it will prove to be the correct direction."

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The test rider emphasized the importance of the Valencia race weekend not just for immediate performance gains, but also for informing future development. "The most important aspect of this weekend is to test this new component," he continued. "This will guide the next steps for [the Sepang test] next year, allowing us to understand the direction we need to take. Hopefully, this can help."

Yamaha’s MotoGP efforts have been under intense scrutiny as the once-dominant manufacturer struggles to keep pace with its European rivals, particularly Ducati, KTM, and Aprilia. The Japanese marque has been working tirelessly to overhaul its MotoGP program, including a significant restructuring of its engineering team and a renewed focus on developing a more competitive engine and chassis package.

The move to a V4 engine configuration represents a major departure for Yamaha, which has traditionally relied on inline-four engines in MotoGP. The V4 design is favored by many of its competitors for its potential to deliver more power and improved handling characteristics. However, developing a successful V4 engine requires significant expertise and resources, and Yamaha is still in the early stages of this process.

The arrival of Toprak Razgatlioglu, the 2021 World Superbike Champion, adds another layer of anticipation to Yamaha’s MotoGP efforts. Razgatlioglu is widely regarded as one of the most talented riders in motorcycle racing, and his decision to switch to MotoGP with Yamaha has been seen as a major vote of confidence in the manufacturer’s future prospects.

Despite the challenges, Yamaha remains committed to returning to the top of MotoGP. The introduction of the new chassis at Valencia, along with the upcoming test involving all of its contracted riders, underscores the manufacturer’s determination to accelerate its development program and close the gap to its rivals.

Fernandez acknowledged that the Valencia race weekend would still be largely experimental, but he expressed hope for a more competitive showing compared to the Malaysian Grand Prix. He noted that while the V4 engine would still be operating in a "safe mode," the tighter layout of the Valencia circuit might mitigate some of the performance deficit.

"The engine is the same, so this will still be a problem. But at Valencia, we might be able to defend ourselves a little better than in Malaysia, for sure," he added. "Hopefully, we can have not necessarily a competitive weekend, but a weekend that I can enjoy a little bit more than Malaysia, at least."

One specific issue that Fernandez hopes the new chassis will address is the bike’s dramatic change in behavior as the tires degrade. He explained that this was not simply a matter of normal tire wear, but a more fundamental problem with the bike’s handling characteristics.

"As soon as the tire drops a little bit, it’s a completely different bike. It’s the bike itself. As soon as it drops a little bit and you have another kind of force on the frame, it’s behaving differently. So we need to adjust [that]."

Fernandez suggested that the new chassis might offer a solution to this problem, but he also acknowledged that other factors, such as electronics settings, could play a role.

"This is something maybe the frame can [help with], but also [other] things, electronics-wise and everything."

The Valencia test will provide Yamaha with a valuable opportunity to gather data and refine its development direction. Following the Tuesday group test, Yamaha has scheduled an additional day of private testing at Valencia on Wednesday, further emphasizing the importance of this event in the manufacturer’s MotoGP program.

Yamaha’s current factory riders, Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins, have endured a difficult season, with neither rider able to consistently challenge for podium finishes. Quartararo, the 2021 MotoGP World Champion, has been particularly frustrated by the lack of progress in developing the Yamaha M1, and has publicly expressed his concerns about the manufacturer’s ability to compete with its rivals.

Rins, who joined Yamaha this year after a successful stint with Suzuki, has also struggled to adapt to the M1, and has yet to score a podium finish for the team. Both riders will be eager to test the new V4 prototype and provide their feedback to Yamaha’s engineers.

The Valencia Grand Prix will be the final race for several riders, including Pol Espargaro, who is retiring from MotoGP after a long and successful career. Espargaro has been a valuable asset to the KTM factory team in recent years, and his departure will leave a void in the Austrian manufacturer’s lineup.

The race will also be the last for Franco Morbidelli with the Yamaha factory team, as he is set to join Pramac Ducati next season. Morbidelli has struggled to recapture the form that saw him finish as runner-up in the 2020 MotoGP World Championship, and he will be hoping for a fresh start with his new team.

As the MotoGP paddock descends on Valencia for the final race of the season, all eyes will be on Yamaha and its new V4 prototype. The manufacturer’s efforts to regain competitiveness have been met with skepticism in some quarters, but the introduction of the new chassis represents a significant step forward in its development program. Whether it will be enough to close the gap to its rivals remains to be seen, but Yamaha’s determination to return to the top of MotoGP is clear.