MotoGP 2026 engine freeze explained
- Isha Reshmi Mohan
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
Written by Isha Reshmi Mohan, edited by Morgan Holiday
As MotoGP heads into the new season next year, there are no major changes coming as the series is saving those for the 2027 season. With the changes to the bikes and the goodbye to Michelin tyres, as they will be adopting Pirellis moving forward, 2027 is set to be a big adjustment. The one thing that is set for the upcoming season, as announced earlier in 2024, is the engine freeze.
Here is everything you will need to know to understand what it is.
What is engine freeze?
As the term suggests, an engine freeze simply means that there will be no development made to the 2026 engines. Teams will continue using the ones from the 2025 season. This freeze was introduced to help with cost control and to create a more level playing field before the major shift to the 850cc engines in 2027.
This is only applicable to manufacturers in Ranks A–C in the concession rankings.
Concession ranking
The concession ranking is set across four groups that the manufacturers find themselves in, based on their performance measured in two windows as per the rules approved in 2023:
Start of the season to the end of the season
The first event after the summer break to the last event before the summer break of the following season.
While it might seem like the better performing team or bike would receive benefits, it actually works the other way, with lower ranked manufacturers receiving more concessions rather than teams in Rank A. This system was put in place to help make the series more competitive.
As of now, the only team in Rank A is Ducati, followed by Aprilia and KTM in Rank C. Honda were newly promoted to Rank C from D, with Marini’s last minute contributions to the evaluation after finishing P7 in Valencia, which was enough to boost their total score.
And finally, Yamaha remains in Rank D, which is ideal for them, as they will use this chance to their full advantage in refining their V4 engine for the 2026 season.
Yamaha’s exemption
Yamaha tested their V4 engine at various tracks and sessions with Augusto Fernandez, who first ran the engine at the Valencia test in 2024 before making further appearances in 2025.
As of November 2025, Yamaha announced that they will be using the V4 engine in 2026, before another change with the move to the 850cc engines in 2027.
“MotoGP is constantly evolving, and we must evolve with it,” commented Takahiro Sumi, General Manager, Motor Sports Development Division. “The V4 represents a new chapter for Yamaha, one that combines our 'Spirit of Challenge' with our racing DNA and the technical solutions required to fight at the top."
While there has been plenty of criticism around this development just one season before the major change, along with other teams having to stick to the engine freeze rule and being restrained from making major investments, it still follows the rules. However, there is a chance that Yamaha could be asked to stop development if they manage to move up the rankings.
Regardless, as the rule was intended, this development will definitely help Yamaha make a reasonable attempt to challenge the other manufacturers in the upcoming season. And as much as it may seem unfair to the leading teams, it will be good for the sport, both in terms of entertainment and competition, by preventing already dominant teams from winning by even larger margins.
And with that we are finally less than two-months away from the season opener, be sure to catch the first race in Buriram on the 1st of March!
