Formula 1 2025

[Mactech]

Small world:

.....but I wouldn't want to paint it......

 

[190]

As so often in motorsport, the V4 engine itself is not the 'holy grail' but the ability to package the modern MotoGP around it. A V4 Yamaha will be a completely new bike. There is nothing wrong with either power or power delivery of the inline 4. It's just that with the addition of ride height devices and aero the engine width does not allow it to be mounted as low in the bike as the narrower V4.
If you ever get to see in the engine bay of and F1 car, the V6 engine is a tiny jewel of a thing packaged very low and mostly hidden.

Besides the packaging benefits, is there not some traction advantage from the uneven torque impulses that a V4 produces but then didn't they try to achieve the same thing with a cross plane crank in line 4. Seems to me like there must be a whole set of complex compromises in both engine layouts. Bottom line though is the V4's are winning races.

 

[Mactech]

Yes, I think in its raw form there is a traction advantage with the V4. However, it does seem that a combination of firing order and traction control has all but eliminated that advantage in the modern MotoGP world. I understand that packaging, weight distribution (and hight) are have come to the fore, as things that cannot be controlled electronically.
It would be another discussion as the whether the ride height devices are electronically controlled....but I think it was this device which opened the up the in-depth probing of the advantages of lowering C of G and it's shift. The traction advantages are certainly visible to the naked eye.

 

[Mactech]

2025 Official Buriram MotoGP Test Results - Day 2 (Thursday)

Lap times as of 5pm during Thursday’s second and final day of the 2025 Official Buriram MotoGP test.

www.crash.net

With the pre-season testing now done, what can we conclude? Remembering 'it's only testing' Marc Marquez looks to be in a very strong position.
Not only was he the only one to dip into the 28's in time attack mode, but his average over a 24lap race sim was 30.3.
There is nobody else within a second of this if they completed that number of laps

 

[Bellow]

It would be another discussion as the whether the ride height devices are electronically controlled....but I think it was this device which opened the up the in-depth probing of the advantages of lowering C of G and it's shift. The traction advantages are certainly visible to the naked eye.

I'm curious - what is/are 'ride height devices'?
The height of the CoG of a bike doesn't (beyond ground clearance concerns) influence cornering. Traction, braking, and keeping the front or rear wheel on the tarmac are however influenced by CoG height. Is that what this is about?

 

[Mactech]

I'm curious - what is/are 'ride height devices'?
The height of the CoG of a bike doesn't (beyond ground clearance concerns) influence cornering. Traction, braking, and keeping the front or rear wheel on the tarmac are however influenced by CoG height. Is that what this is about?

Yes, absolutely. The bikes launch with the lowest possible ride height. The riders brake hard up to the grid to engage the front lowering lock. Think long wheelbase drag bikes. There is a huge performance advantage here.
As the bike pitches under acceleration or brakes, the control system / rider can lock or unlock these systems to allow 'normal' ride height for lean angle. On corner exit the rear ride height device lowers to reduce the C of G and aid traction. This also reduces the frontal area to increase Vmax.

 

[GeeJayW]

As so often in motorsport, the V4 engine itself is not the 'holy grail' but the ability to package the modern MotoGP around it. A V4 Yamaha will be a completely new bike. There is nothing wrong with either power or power delivery of the inline 4. It's just that with the addition of ride height devices and aero the engine width does not allow it to be mounted as low in the bike as the narrower V4.
If you ever get to see in the engine bay of and F1 car, the V6 engine is a tiny jewel of a thing packaged very low and mostly hidden.

I have seen ‘under the hood’ of F1 cars (though not for over a decade) and I’m always impressed by the packaging. Gordon Murray was obsessive with this aspect when he was at McLaren.