In a paddock often filled with rider frustration, a rare voice of optimism has emerged from the Yamaha camp. Pramac Yamaha boss Gino Borsoi is steadfastly defending the manufacturer's ambitious V4 engine project, challenging the pervasive negativity surrounding their MotoGP efforts.
Key Points:
- Gino Borsoi champions Yamaha's new V4 MotoGP engine, calling its progress "better than imagined."
- He argues against unfair comparisons to established V4 rivals who've had years of development.
- Borsoi sees the current V4 as the crucial foundation for Yamaha's 2027 bike amidst upcoming regulation changes.
- Despite current struggles, he insists the team is rapidly learning and improving this "completely new bike."
A Contrarian View on Yamaha's V4 Journey
While factory rider Fabio Quartararo and many fans voice understandable frustration, Gino Borsoi's perspective offers a vital counter-narrative. The Yamaha team principal believes critics are missing the bigger picture regarding their V4 MotoGP journey.
"I don't understand why people think Yamaha is not doing a great job at the moment," Borsoi stated. "Honestly, for me, it's better than I imagined."
Yamaha was the last major factory to embrace a V4 engine design, fully committing to it only this season. This late start means they're playing catch-up against rivals who have refined their V4 machines for years.
Building from Scratch: The 'Open Construction Site'
Borsoi highlights the fundamental difference in development stages between Yamaha and its competitors. While other teams are tweaking details, Yamaha is still constructing the very foundation of its new machine.
"The other companies have had a V4, which is obviously a complete bike, for several years. And they are just trying to improve the details," he explained. "We are an open construction site. Every time we go to the track, we discover things... every time you understand that you made a mistake, you move forward."
He further emphasized the recency of their current iteration, noting this specific bike only started its track debut three months ago in Malaysia. Expecting immediate parity with seasoned V4 bikes is, in his view, unrealistic.
2027 Vision: Current V4 as the Blueprint
Beyond current performance, Borsoi underscored the strategic importance of the existing V4 project for Yamaha's future. The upcoming 2027 regulations will see engine capacity reduced from 1000cc to 850cc, but the core architecture will remain critical.
"Obviously, we have to keep in mind that next year's bike won't be very different from what we have now," Borsoi confirmed. "It's the base of the 2027 project... it's very important that this bike starts working, in order to be ready for 2027."
This long-term vision positions current struggles not as failures, but as essential learning phases in building a competitive platform for the years to come.
