Yamaha officially opens a new era in MotoGP by launching the M1V4 race bike to compete in the first-ever sprint race in history.
Yamaha, the renowned Japanese motorcycle manufacturer, officially steps into a new era of MotoGP by entering the M1V4 race bike to compete in the sprint race for the first time in team history at the 2026 MotoGP season opener, the PT Grand Prix of Thailand, held on Saturday, 28 February, at Chang International Circuit in Buriram Province.
The sprint race covered 13 laps, serving as a crucial test for Yamaha since it marked the official debut of the M1V4 after a major change from an Inline-4 engine to a V4 power unit, aiming to enhance the team's performance for the 2026 season.
Fabio Quartararo, the French rider number 20 from Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team, started from 16th on the grid but faced difficulties from the first lap due to chaos at turn 3, dropping to 19th place before gradually overtaking to finish 16th with a total time of 19 minutes 54.234 seconds, 15.079 seconds behind the winner.
Meanwhile, his Spanish teammate Alex Rins, number 42, finished the race in 18th place, trailing the winner by 15.876 seconds.
Australian rider Jack Miller, number 43 from Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP, demonstrated the M1V4’s strength by steadily climbing into the midfield group and crossing the line in 15th place with a total time of 15 minutes 52.622 seconds, 13.467 seconds behind the winner.
Turkish teammate Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, number 7, crashed near the race's end but managed to get back on his bike and rejoin the race, finishing 20th, 25.860 seconds behind the winner.
The PT Grand Prix of Thailand will continue with the main race on Sunday, 1 March, at 15:00, broadcast live on SPOTV.