Alex Rins just gave Yamaha final proof at Assen why Jack Miller should replace him when Toprak Razgatlioglu joins Pramac

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Jack Miller and Miguel Oliveira are fighting to stay at Pramac in 2026 ahead of Toprak Razgatlioglu joining, yet Alex Rins just proved at Assen why Yamaha should drop him.

The Iwata crew have a decision to make after Yamaha signed Razgatlioglu to a two-year deal for the two-time World Superbikes champion’s debut in MotoGP next season. He will race a factory-spec YZR-M1 at Yamaha’s satellite team, Pramac, to quit the production bike series.

But Razgatlioglu’s arrival in the prototype championship means Yamaha must either release Oliveira from his two-year factory contract or axe Miller at the end of his deal. Yamaha only gave Miller a 12-month contract for his arrival in their fold during the 2025 MotoGP season.

Neither Pramac rider is safe with Razgatlioglu on his way next year, after Yamaha included a release clause in Oliveira’s contract. The Japanese squad can drop the Portuguese star if he is the lowest-scoring rider on the M1 in the 2025 summer break, which Oliveira currently is.

Yamaha must promote Jack Miller from Pramac to replace Alex Rins after qualifying at Assen

Oliveira arrived at the TT Circuit Assen for the 2025 Dutch Grand Prix with only six points to his name, the same tally as Yamaha test rider Augusto Fernandez has scored this year. Fabio Quartararo leads the Yamaha riders with 61 points over Rins with 32 and Miller on 31 so far.

Yamaha would sign Miller for 2026 over Oliveira if they had to make the decision before the Dutch GP, as well. But qualifying at Assen showed the rider Yamaha must release from their contract is Rins, rather than Oliveira, with Miller promoted from Pramac to the works team.

READ MORE: Everything to know about Alex Rins from net worth to career stats

On the same day that Quartararo claimed his and Yamaha’s fourth pole position of the 2025 MotoGP season so far, Rins was the slowest rider on the M1 after qualifying in just P19. The only riders slower than Rins during Q1 were Ai Ogura, Aleix Espargaro and Somkiat Chantra.

Quartararo secured pole at Assen with a 1:30.651, denying Ducati ace Francesco Bagnaia by only 0.028 seconds and Gresini racer Alex Marquez by 0.160s. The 26-year-old was the only Yamaha rider in Q2, as Miller, Oliveira and Rins fell during Q1 to qualify in P14, P18 and P19.

Trackhouse star Raul Fernandez and Gresini rookie Fermin Aldeguer advanced from Q1 with 1:31.517 and 1:31.557 lap times around Assen during qualifying for the Dutch GP. Miller fell just 0.147s from denying Aldeguer, and was 0.268s and 0.329s faster than Oliveira and Rins.

Could Yamaha release Alex Rins from his contract after signing Toprak Razgatlioglu?

Quartararo and Rins are locked in at the factory Yamaha team for the 2026 MotoGP season, with Miller the only one of the Japanese crew’s now five-strong rider line-up without a deal for next year. But Yamaha can release Oliveira from his contract after acquiring Razgatlioglu.

Razgatlioglu’s Red Bull sponsorship prevents him from joining the factory Yamaha team due to their deal with Monster. So, one of Oliveira or Miller has to leave Pramac in 2026. But the struggles that Rins showed in qualifying for the Dutch GP prove he should be the one to go.

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

Quartararo is the third rider in MotoGP history to achieve 20 poles with Yamaha after only Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo. Yet Rins was nowhere near the Frenchman on the same M1, and the 29-year-old has now lost to Quartararo in all nine qualifying sessions this year.

Miller has also now beaten Rins during qualifying in Thailand (P4 and P19), America (P9 and P14), Spain (P14 and P23), France (P8 and P14), Great Britain (P6 and P12), Aragon (P14 and P15) and the Netherlands (P14 and P19). He even beat Quartararo in Thailand and America.

So, while the expectation is that Oliveira or Miller must make way for Razgatlioglu, Yamaha could release Rins from his contract for 2026 and should. The Iwata outfit cannot be happy with the Spaniard’s qualifying, and Miller’s development of the M1 has impressed Yamaha.