Pramac Urges Yamaha to Improve V4 Engine Performance Fast

Pramac Racing has urged Yamaha to urgently improve the performance of its V4 project after its riders struggled heavily during the 2026 Catalunya MotoGP Sprint.

Pramac team director Gino Borsoi admitted that engine power and acceleration deficits remain Yamaha’s biggest weakness during race conditions in Barcelona.

Jack Miller had actually shown competitive pace throughout the weekend and secured direct access to Q2 for the first time this season before starting 11th on the grid.

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However, just like Fabio Quartararo, the Australian rider was unable to defend his position during slipstream battles along the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya’s long main straight.

"Unfortunately, during the race we suffered a lot because of the engine performance difference compared to the other manufacturers," Borsoi explained.

From a technical perspective, Yamaha has started showing progress in chassis balance and electronics development, but top speed and acceleration remain major weaknesses, especially in full race conditions.

"I honestly believe the bike itself is working well because otherwise we would never achieve the lap times we showed in qualifying," Borsoi added.

"But during the race, when you are missing top speed and acceleration, the other riders simply pass you on the straights and then you can no longer choose the racing lines you want."

Borsoi openly called on Yamaha to deliver engine upgrades as quickly as possible to help its riders fight more competitively.

"We hope Yamaha can bring something as soon as possible to improve the engine performance," he stressed.

Miller also admitted Yamaha’s current progress is being masked by its continuing weakness on the straights.

"For most of the lap I honestly felt competitive. We have clearly made a step forward with the chassis and the front feeling of the bike," Miller explained.

"But on the straight we are still suffering too much. Every time I tried to prepare an overtake, the others immediately came back past."

Meanwhile, Toprak Razgatlioglu endured an even more difficult weekend after continuing to struggle with Barcelona’s extremely low-grip conditions.

The WorldSBK champion even admitted he forgot to activate the launch device at the Sprint start, immediately costing him several positions.

"The biggest issue is still the same. I am struggling a lot with corner entry and braking, especially on a track with strange grip like this," Razgatlioglu said.

The Turkish rider also revealed that his qualifying crash destroyed the positive feeling he had briefly developed while following Quartararo during Friday’s sessions.

With Yamaha continuing to trail KTM, Ducati, Aprilia, and Honda in engine performance, pressure is now rapidly increasing on the V4 project heading into the middle phase of the 2026 MotoGP season.