Jack Miller: Yamaha “probably the most committed” MotoGP manufacturer

After 10 seasons in MotoGP, Jack Miller entered 2025 on a fourth manufacturer with Yamaha, as it looks to return to the front of motorcycle racing’s premier class.

The Australian joined MotoGP in 2015 with Honda, before moving to Ducati in 2017 with the Pramac team. 

After a promotion to the factory Ducati team in 2021, Miller moved on to KTM for 2023, and has now moved back to Pramac Racing as it has switched to Yamaha.

Miller’s experience of so many different manufacturers in MotoGP arguably makes him one of Yamaha’s most valuable assets in its attempt to return to the front of the field, but Miller is also thankful of the opportunity he has with the Japanese brand.

“MotoGP has been my life for 10 years now, and last year it looked like it could honestly all be over,” Miller told MotoGP.com.

“Since that moment, I just decided to enjoy every moment that I had on-track.

“I feel extremely blessed to be able to do this hopefully for a few more years. I feel like my time isn’t done yet – last year that was the biggest thing for me, I didn’t feel ready to step down yet, I still feel like I have more to do.

“I guess this opportunity with Yamaha and Pramac, a massive thank you to them and to Paolo [Campinoti, Pramac Racing owner] because he saved me.”

Miller has also had a positive impression of Yamaha’s MotoGP project.

“Yamaha are probably the most committed out of any manufacturer that I’ve worked with, putting on a whole second factory team,” he said.

“It doesn’t stop there; that whole testing structure, moving that all to Europe and really trying to focus on more of a European base in that area [while] keeping a Japanese focus on quality and the way that they work.

“They’re finding this balance very well between the two [Europe and Japan] and they’re taking all the right steps to do that.”

Jack Miller “relief” in MotoGP testing

Despite his experience on other manufacturers, Miller has never been a rider who has been associated with the same kind of characteristics that have been attributed to the YZR-M1 or to the riders who have found success on it.

However, any concerns Miller had about his ability to ride the M1 were calmed during the winter testing programme.

“It was more of a relief once we started testing again this year once we started testing again with the new bike, understanding the potential of that new bike,” he said.

“The more laps I did on it, the more comfortable I became.

“Let’s say many of my strengths I was nervous that they weren’t going to translate to this bike, that I wasn’t going to be able to use [them].

“But I found that I was able to use my strengths.

“For example, backing the bike into stop-start corners and trying to really brake late, and use the slide to bring the centre of gravity down. I’m still able to do that, but then on the plus side of that the bike still has this characteristic where you are really stable and able to carry high corner speed in the corners that need it.

“So, it’s really nice to be able to have those two strengths.”

However, Yamaha still has its technical limitations at the moment, and Miller’s feedback is the same as that of the other Yamaha riders, including 2021 MotoGP World Champion Fabio Quartararo, that rear grip and electronics are the the Iwata marque’s clear weak areas.

“The issues that we have are [...] electronics, they need to try to work on that, not so much for pure performance but more to be able to react quicker,” he said.

“Then for the second one is rear grip, and rear grip [and electronics] are kind of hand-in-hand, I feel like if we can improve one then we can improve the other. These are steps that we will make throughout the season.”

Finally, four-time MotoGP race winner Miller assured that he is confident of being able to return to the front of the premier class field.

“I’m not the guy who wants to show up here and come last every week, you want to show up here and be as competitive as possible week in, week out,” he said.

“The goal is like always, to try to arrive back to the front, back in that front group, fighting with those guys for podiums and victories. I arrived there once before, and I believe firmly that I can arrive back there again.”