The Blu Crew MotoGP fans have had a lot to cheer about these past few rounds, including two pole positions courtesy of Fabio Quartararo. But claiming pole position and keeping it throughout the race are two different things when you're riding an inline-4 motorcycle versus a grid of V4s. Quartararo couldn't even hold off the rookie sensation Fermín Aldeguer to claim a podium in the French GP.
It didn't appear to be Quartararo's lack of skill, but rather a lack of capability from his Yamaha M1. As promising as the French rider's recent results have been, Yamaha needs to get a V4 on the grid ASAP, and Paolo Pavesio, Yamaha's motorsport director, knows it.
According to Pavesio, "The project is in full swing. However, I would like to emphasize again that this isn't about rebuilding an engine. We're talking about a completely new motorcycle, and we're working on making the bike race-ready. In addition to pure functionality, we also need to create a setup for competition. Only then can we continue the internal comparisons with the current bike."
So the team needs a completely new bike to surround the new V4 powerplant, and that means plenty of testing before we see the machine race as a wildcard. Luckily for Yamaha, its test rider pool is absolutely stacked with the likes of Augusto Fernandez, Cal Crutchlow, and Andrea Dovizioso. And because Yamaha is in Tier D regarding concessions, its current MotoGP riders, like Miguel Olivera, can work on preparing the bike for its wildcard debut.
As for the timeline, Pavesio stated, "We want to make a wildcard entry this year – and as soon as possible. The sooner we can do this test at a GP weekend, the faster we'll progress with development. However, I can rule out the possibility of us competing with the V4 bike before the summer break. I hope we can get going soon after the summer break."
How much would you like to see a V4 Yamaha competing in MotoGP before the summer break?
