Am I reading this right, they’re going to have two different bikes on the grid this weekend and if so how is that even allowed? https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/1081508/1/fabio-quartararos-v4-lap-time-barcelona-motogp-test
I can only assume (I know, it will only make an ass of u and me) that it is because they have concessions and/or any penalty will only be applied to the rider on it, which is their test rider Fernandez. Will be interesting to see if it does make the difference needed to properly run and be competitive with the other manufacturers though.
I get test riders testing new aero etc just never heard of one being allowed to test what’s presumably going to be next years engine in an actual race weekend? I appreciate it’s a huge what if, but what if he actually wins or does something extraordinary to effect this year’s championship? All sounds a bit iffy to me!
Moto GP is a prototype class... no homoglation rules. If it satisfies the rule book, then it's fair game I guess.. Harks back to HRC running triples and V4 500's back in the day.
The concessions that Yamaha have does not have limits on engine development so they can develop and run whatever they like as long as it’s in the rule book.
Officially unveiled today https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/1081546/1/pictures-yamaha-unveils-v4-motogp-prototype-misano
“Asked if he'd like to race the V4 this year, Miller told MotoGP.com: “It's not possible. Not from lack of trying, but we've homologated two fairings already.” https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/1081547/1/jack-miller-why-i-cant-race-yamaha-v4-motogp-season
I think that’s more Millers problem than Yamaha. The test rider is able to “race” as a wild card entry. Maybe they’re limited on numbers of fairing modifications by rider in a season? I don’t know for sure..
For clarity, Yamaha (rank D) can change engine specification mid-season, however are limited to only 2 fairing updates. So it is likely Jack has already used those.... Google Search AI summary: Engine changes under the 2025 concession rules: For the 2025 season, manufacturers are divided into four ranks (A, B, C, D), based on their percentage of constructor points from the previous season. Ducati is ranked A, with the most restrictions, while Yamaha and Honda are in the most liberal D rank. Rank A, B, and C manufacturers (Ducati, KTM, Aprilia): These manufacturers must homologate their engine specifications before the start of the season (before the Thai Grand Prix). The engine design is then frozen for the entire 2025 and 2026 seasons, allowing for no performance upgrades during that period. The only exceptions are for safety, reliability, or parts availability issues, provided no performance increase is gained. Rank D manufacturers (Honda, Yamaha): These manufacturers are exempt from the engine freeze and are free to develop their engines and change specifications throughout the 2025 season. This allows them to experiment with new designs to improve performance. However, they are still limited to a set number of engines per rider for the season. Fairing changes under the 2025 concession rules: For 2025, manufacturer rankings remained the same as they were at the end of the previous season. Ducati remains in Rank A, while Honda and Yamaha are in Rank D. Rank A (Ducati): Allowed only one fairing "aero body" update per season. This refers to a single modification to the design that must be homologated for the entire season. Rank D (Honda and Yamaha): Allowed up to two fairing updates per rider per season. To use the second upgrade, they must discard one of the previous aerodynamic specifications.
The Paddock Pass podcast also mentioned they are limited by the gearbox too, something about how they have homologated the maximum number of ratios allowed for the inline 4 already
Impressive debut considering he was second fastest Yamaha for most of the morning session and a second off the fastest lap time. Shame the number one bike *blew up but hopefully more of the same later on.
