Insider shares what “they say” about Jack Miller “when I’ve spoken to any team”

Yamaha’s expansion to a four-bike MotoGP operation for 2025 is a part of its return to competitiveness in Grand Prix racing, even if the riders it has signed to fill the two new satellite seats have less than 10 premier class wins between them.

Miguel Oliveira – five-times a MotoGP race winner – and Jack Miller – a four-time GP winner in the premier class –  are by now among the most experienced riders in MotoGP.

Miller is now entering his 11th season in the class, and Miguel Oliveira marks his seventh year in MotoGP this season. Both also have experience of numerous motorcycles: Miller having entered MotoGP with Honda, moved to Ducati, and then to KTM before landing at Yamaha for 2025; while Oliveira came in with KTM and switched to Aprilia for two years before making his Yamaha move.

The two are evenly matched on paper, then, but this year’s winter tests have shown Miller to be the rider more immediately suited to the YZR-M1. He was half-a-second faster than Oliveira in the Sepang test, and almost the same margin ahead in the Buriram test – plus only 0.031 seconds behind Fabio Quartararo of the factory team.

TNT Sports MotoGP pundit Neil Hodgson believes that the signing of Miller was a “clever” one by Yamaha and the Pramac team.

Jack Miller MotoGP testing ability heralded

“Obviously, we all love Jack [Miller], he’s like the most normal MotoGP rider you’ll ever meet, he’s a real character – and great for TV," Hodgson said.

“I’m pleased for him, because he’s got a lot of experience, and a lot of people were questioning if it was a good signing or not.

“I’ve got to say that I think it was a really clever signing; you’ve got a rider who’s been on the Honda, Ducati, and KTM, and always when I’ve spoken to any team they say he’s very good at test riding.

“He’s one of those riders who’s good at ‘blind tests’ where they don’t tell you what they’ve done to the bike, try something, and he comes back and his feedback’s normally on point.”

Hodgson added: “I think Jack will go good. The beauty of Jack is he’s got a one-year deal, he’ll give it his best, and if it’s not enough he won’t be bitter if he doesn’t get another contract because he’s had a really good career; and I’m sure that, if a door closes in MotoGP, then quite a few would open in World Superbikes.”

Yamaha MotoGP improvement debated

Miller’s arrival at Yamaha coincides with a resurgence from the Iwata manufacturer, and its compatriot brand Honda, with both showing apparent progress during winter testing.

“I think they’re on the way forward,” Hodgson said of the two Japanese brands.

“Unfortunately, I can’t see them [Honda and Yamaha] leapfrogging [KTM and Aprilia] and being in the mix to fight with the Ducatis. But, obviously, the Japanese manufacturers have got the concessions, it looks like they’ve used them really well, they’ve both made steps forward.

“It’s going to be interesting to see where they can get to, but I think we’re going to have to wait until 2026 before I’m going to make bold statements like ‘I definitely think they will win races this year’ – I just cannot see it [in 2025].

“Obviously, you can have mixed weather, you can have flag-to-flags, things can happen; but on a normal, dry weekend, I can’t see a Japanese manufacturer winning any races. I hope I’m wrong.”

Watch all the action from the 2025 MotoGP season live on TNT Sports and discovery+ starting with the Thailand Grand Prix on Friday 28th February. TNT Sports and discovery+ is the home of motorbikes with coverage of every race from MotoGP, FIM World Superbikes, Bennetts British Superbikes and FIM Speedway GP. Follow @tntsportsbikes to keep up with all the action on social.