Yamaha now have their ‘favourite’ to partner Toprak Razgatlioglu at Pramac between Jack Miller and Miguel Oliveira

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Jack Miller and Miguel Oliveira know that at least one of the two riders will now have to leave Pramac after Yamaha signed Toprak Razgatlioglu for the 2026 MotoGP season.

The two-time World Superbikes champion is finally moving across from the production bike series to the premier class of prototype racing next season. Yet Yamaha signing Razgatlioglu to ride for their satellite brand, Pramac, means Miller and Oliveira must fight for their bikes.

Miller returned to Pramac ahead of the 2025 MotoGP season having been released by KTM after the Tuscan team left the Ducati fold to be Yamaha’s de facto second factory outfit. But Yamaha gave Miller a one-year contract to prove himself having never ridden the M1 before.

Oliveira also joined Pramac for the 2025 season on a factory Yamaha contract, although the Portuguese secured a two-year deal unlike the Australian’s one-year deal. However, Oliveira must hit a performance clause in his Yamaha contract for 2026 that he is unlikely to achieve.

Miguel Oliveira is the ‘favourite’ to leave Pramac ahead of Toprak Razgatlioglu’s arrival

Yamaha can release Oliveira from his contract for next year if the 30-year-old is their worst-performing rider in the 2025 championship by the summer break after the Czech Grand Prix on July 20. As he is Yamaha’s worst rider, Oliveira is also now the ‘favourite’ to leave Pramac.

That is according to The Race, which reports that Oliveira is also sounding like a rider at the Italian Grand Prix this weekend who already knows they are about to lose their seat. He has just three points thus far and he must eclipse Fabio Quartararo (59), Miller or Alex Rins (31).

READ MORE: Everything to know about Toprak Razgatlioglu from net worth to nickname

Even Yamaha test rider Augusto Fernandez has outscored Oliveira after the 27-year-old took P13 in the Americas and Aragon Grands Prix. Fernandez competed in America as Oliveira sat out the first of his three-round stint through injury, which thwarted his adaptation to the M1.

Jack Miller has endeared himself to Yamaha, while Miguel Oliveira could pay the price for his injury

Yamaha will decide who they release between Miller and Oliveira before the Czech GP, thus leaving just three rounds including this weekend’s Italian GP at Mugello for the Pramac pair to prove their place in the Iwata factory’s stable ahead of Razgatlioglu’s arrival next season.

READ MORE: Everything to know about Miguel Oliveira from net worth to wife

It is impossible to know how the picture would look had Pramac not lost the Portuguese for three events. Oliveira dislocated a sternoclavicular ligament in his left shoulder in the Sprint Race at the Argentina Grand Prix when he was taken out by Gresini rookie Fermin Aldeguer.

The injury derailed Oliveira’s adaptation to the M1, while Yamaha appreciate Miller’s role in developing their 2025 MotoGP bike. His experience from racing on Honda, Ducati and KTM bikes has been very beneficial and helped Miller to prove himself to the bosses at Yamaha.

Another factor which might have helped to play into Yamaha’s position is that the Australian is due to represent the Iwata squad’s factory entry in the 2025 Suzuka 8 Hours. Fox Australia reports that Miller ‘endeared himself’ to Yamaha’s management by agreeing to do the race.