The 2023 MotoGP season was the first year since 2003 in which all victories were achieved by V-engined motorcycles. Yamaha remained winless for the first time in 20 years and with it the concept of the in-line engine, because after Suzuki’s exit, Yamaha is the only remaining manufacturer that relies on an in-line engine.
Ducati was by far the most successful manufacturer with 17 out of 20 possible victories. Aprilia won two Grands Prix with Aleix Espargaró and Alex Rins saved Honda’s honor with his victory in Austin. Ducati, Aprilia, Honda and also KTM rely on V4 engines, which tend to produce more power compared to in-line engines.
For Ducati Corse boss Luigi “Gigi” Dall’Igna, the V-engine is the right choice for MotoGP. “I think that the V4 is the best configuration for MotoGP. Otherwise I would have done something different when I came to Ducati,” the Italian is quoted by “GPOne”.
Are in-line engines still appropriate in MotoGP?
But Dall’Igna doesn’t want to accept that the era of in-line engines in MotoGP is over. “It must be noted that Quartararo won with an in-line four-cylinder engine,” he refers to Yamaha’s success a good two years ago.
“So I don’t think this solution is fundamentally bad. You just have to choose a different compromise because there are different characteristics. Each concept has advantages and disadvantages,” notes the Ducati engineer.
Luigi Dall’Igna doesn’t write off the in-line engine
According to Dall’Igna, Yamaha did not use its own concept perfectly. “The engineers’ job is to minimize the disadvantages and get the most out of the advantages. The engineers have to find the best compromise,” he explains.
The bottom line is that Dall’Igna sticks with it: the V-engine has more advantages than disadvantages in MotoGP and is therefore the first choice. “If I had to decide again, I would choose a V4 again. But Yamaha can also win with the in-line four-cylinder,” summarizes the Ducati Corse boss.
In the 2024 MotoGP season, the two factory Yamahas will also be the only motorcycles in the field powered by an in-line engine. Yamaha wants to remain true to the concept, but will have four bikes in the field again from the 2025 season. It is conceivable that Valentino Rossi’s team will move to Yamaha.