Yamaha Unveils 2026 V4 YZR-M1

Indonesia- Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP has officially kicked off its 2026 season with a major team launch in Indonesia, signaling the start of Yamaha’s new V4 era and revealing a completely redesigned YZR-M1 in refreshed team colours. The unveiling took place at the Yamaha Motor Indonesia (YIMM) 3S Dealer Meeting in Jakarta described as Yamaha’s largest dealer gathering worldwide giving fans and media a first look at the updated livery and the new-generation machine.

Senior Yamaha and team leadership used the event to underline the scale of the project. Takahiro Sumi (Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. / Yamaha Motor Racing) and Paolo Pavesio (Yamaha Motor Racing / Team Principal) highlighted the exceptional challenge of developing a V4-powered M1 while still campaigning and racing through 2025, crediting close coordination between Yamaha’s operations in Japan and Italy and a high-performance environment for specialists from different backgrounds. Massimo Meregalli added that the 2026 focus will be on extracting performance and building weekend-to-weekend consistency as the team learns the new bike expecting results to follow once the fundamentals are solid.

The 2026 livery keeps the team’s recognizable camouflage identity but features more blue and white than previous seasons. A major new addition is DP World as Official Logistics Partner, with its logo now appearing on the M1. Yamaha noted that the partnership will be formally introduced at a dedicated event in Dubai on 26 January, positioning logistics precision as another performance lever for the campaign.

Factory riders Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins joined the management on stage to unveil their bikes and share early thoughts ahead of pre-season running. Quartararo Yamaha’s 2021 MotoGP World Champion enters his eighth season with the manufacturer and continues preparation with crew chief Diego Gubellini. Rins, who joined Yamaha in 2024, aims to quickly build confidence on the new YZR-M1 and push development forward alongside crew chief David Muñoz.

Looking ahead, Yamaha expects an intense year with a calendar projected at 22 rounds, featuring the Sprint on Saturday and the Grand Prix on Sunday. Yamaha leadership emphasized that early success in 2026 won’t be judged only by results but also by progress pointing to encouraging early indicators such as improved braking stability, acceleration potential, and more consistent long-run feeling while thanking Monster Energy and the wider sponsor group for continued backing as the new era begins.

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