Test rider for Yamaha, Augusto Fernandez, has admitted that the Japanese manufacturer’s new V4 engine bike is still a long way from being competitive. The new machine, which marks a big change for Yamaha after many years of using an inline-four engine, made its race debut at the San Marino Grand Prix and then appeared again at the Malaysian Grand Prix. Fernandez rode the bike at both events, but said after the race in Sepang that the team had not made any real progress since the first test.

In Malaysia, things did not go well. Fernandez qualified last on the grid, more than two seconds slower than the rider in pole position, and in the race he only finished ahead of one other rider, who had crashed and rejoined. He explained that the engine was still being run in a safe mode to protect it during these early tests, and that the bike had received only small updates since Misano.

Fernandez said that the team actually began the weekend in Malaysia worse than they had ended the one in Misano, so they had to start again in finding the right setup. By the end of the race, they were only back to the same level they had reached weeks earlier. He called this the only positive point of the weekend, as at least the team could see where they stood.

When asked if he believed Yamaha could make the new V4 bike competitive in time for next season’s first race in Thailand, Fernandez was honest. He replied, “Not really, not really,” before adding that he wanted to wait until the final race and test of the year in Valencia before giving a full answer. He said that if the engineers could learn from all the data gathered so far, the team might make a step forward there, but for now they were still far from the front.

However, even with the slow progress, Fernandez said there is one reason to stay hopeful. The team now knows exactly what is wrong, and that gives them a clear direction for the next test. After studying the data, they found that the same issues from Misano were still there, which means the problems are consistent and easier to target.

One of the biggest problems is the engine. Yamaha has said that the new V4 produces more power, but Fernandez said he would like to feel something closer to what the final version will actually deliver. He also explained that the balance of the bike is not right, and that it still feels unsteady, making it hard to ride at the limit.

The next opportunity for Yamaha to test the bike will be at the Valencia circuit in three weeks. Before that, the team plans to keep testing privately to speed up the development. Fernandez said that time is short and the engineers must work quickly if they want the bike to be ready for 2025. He added that although progress is slow, the team finally has a clear plan and knows which direction to take. For now, they just need to keep working hard and hope that the next test will bring some real improvement.