Neil Hodgson thinks 2025 is a 23-podium rider’s ‘last’ chance in MotoGP

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The MotoGP season is officially underway at the Thai Grand Prix, and Neil Hodgson believes 2025 is one rider’s ‘last’ chance to prove they deserve a future on the grid.

Nine of the 11 teams have changed their line-ups this year, with just the factory Yamaha and Honda crews retaining both of their riders. Aprilia, Pramac and Tech3 also elected to change both of their riders for the new MotoGP term. Pramac also ditched Ducati for Yamaha bikes.

Pramac helped Jorge Martin become the first independent riders’ champion since Valentino Rossi in 2001 on their Ducati last term. Yet Pramac are now a de facto second works Yamaha team. New Aprilia ace Martin misses the Thai GP through injury and will also miss Argentina.

Neil Hodgson thinks Jack Miller’s Pramac Yamaha contract is his ‘last’ chance in MotoGP

Martin’s move to Aprilia after missing out on the promotion to Ducati to Marc Marquez also created a spot at Pramac for Yamaha to place Jack Miller for the 2025 MotoGP season. KTM dropped the 30-year-old from their main rider line-up to promote Pedro Acosta from Tech3.

Miller signed a one-year contract with Yamaha in September after the Japanese crew joined forces with Pramac. The Australian now partners Miguel Oliveira back at the Tuscan team he raced for from 2018-20 while a satellite Ducati team before switching to the Bologna Bullets.

READ MORE: Everything to know about Jack Miller from net worth to wife

But Hodgson believes Miller’s switch to Pramac on a factory Yamaha deal marks the Aussie’s ‘last’ chance to show he warrants a future in MotoGP. The 2003 World Superbikes champion also thinks Miller appears happy and relaxed at his new home ahead of the Thai Grand Prix.

“Jack’s never changed from the day I met him when he was a Moto3 rider,” Hodgson said on TNT Sports 2. “Now, he’s in his 11th year in MotoGP, incredible character.

“And we all thought, or I think we’re all aware, this is his last real go at it in MotoGP moving to the Pramac Yamaha team – obviously a team he’s worked with in the past when they were [using] Ducatis.

“[He is] doing a great job. I saw him, I’m going to say, he looked happy and relaxed yesterday but when doesn’t he? That’s Jack’s default setting.”

Jack Miller must get his MotoGP career back on track after struggling with KTM

Miller debuted in MotoGP for LCR on a works Honda contract in 2015 after jumping straight up from Moto3. He also took the Aussie’s first premier class race win in just his second year after Honda moved Miller over to Marc VDS, for whom he won the 2016 Dutch TT at Assen.

READ MORE: Everything to know about Pramac from the MotoGP team’s riders to bike

The most successful years of Miller’s MotoGP career so far would later follow with Ducati in 2021 and 2022. The Queensland native penned three of his four wins, 12 of his 23 podiums and one of his two career poles for the Borgo Panigale crew before moving to KTM in 2023.

But his time with KTM was not fruitful, with Miller only claiming one podium in 39 races and only finishing 14th in the 2024 riders’ standings with 87 points. KTM teammate Brad Binder scored 217 points in 2024 to fend off GASGAS Tech3 rider Acosta, who took 215 as a rookie.

KTM’s decision to promote Acosta from their satellite Tech3 team left Miller out in the cold, and likely without a place on the MotoGP grid if not for Yamaha picking him up to race with Pramac. But Miller immediately adapted to Yamaha’s bike and will look to get back on track.