Marco Bezzecchi
Jack Miller’s return to the Pramac team in 2025 was about as difficult as it could have been, but he still earned a contract extension.
The Aussie was the last rider confirmed on the 2025 MotoGP grid, after a dismal spell at the factory KTM team.
At times, Miller showed signs of getting back to his very best this year, but he knows that there are still plenty of areas for improvement.
Yamaha are trying their best to improve a bike which has lagged behind for some time. Their first year in partnership with Pramac was difficult, but it can’t get much worse.
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Miller was ‘screwed’ from day one on a Yamaha, as he was forced to ride the old M1 machine, which really struggles in dirty air. It was the first time in his career that he wasn’t on a V4.
With a new teammate for next season, Miller has already addressed a Toprak Razgatlioglu concern and is helping the 29-year-old rookie settle in at this new team, which is a daunting task.
READ MORE: Jack Miller once revealed how close he was to leaving MotoGP after annoying Yamaha with his comments
Jack Miller has gained feedback and stability with Yamaha’s new V4 engine
Miller says Yamaha’s bike now has a ‘similar feeling’ to Ducati’s, which is an encouraging thing for his fans to hear.
After finishing 17th in the standings this year, he’ll be looking to beat that in his second year on a Yamaha. The only problem is that the V4 will be a steep learning curve.
Speaking about the new engine with Motorsport.com, Miller has just shared what he has gained since giving the V4 a little run at the post-season test in Valencia.
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“[The V4 is] no more of a step than I’ve had in the last year, going from what I’ve known to this inline-four,” he said. “Throughout the year, we’ve been up and down, as we’ve all seen.
“Some good highlights, some decent lowlights as well, but especially in the last couple of races since Australia, we’ve been able to understand the front end a little bit more.
“Maybe [we] lose a little bit of performance, but gain feedback and stability and understanding of where I’m at on the tyre, where the bike was giving me the feedback,” the 30-year-old continued.
“So that was a learning process, and I understand this bike now more and more. OK, next year’s bike’s different, but the DNA’s there, and that’s learning as a rider, so we’ll keep going.”
READ MORE: Jack Miller concerned by what he’s noticed ‘as soon as you go on the gas’ with Yamaha’s V4 engine
Why Yamaha made a good decision to retain Jack Miller for 2026
Letting go of Miller in favour of signing a second rookie at Pramac could have been a bit of a disaster for Yamaha.
Although Fabio Quartararo is a superstar, he has no V4 experience. Miller could extend his career beyond 2026 with his knowledge alone.
It depends how well he contributes to their project and whether he can help unlock a new level from their engine.
Over the first few months, his feedback will be more valuable than any performances he could be putting in. It’ll be important that both Yamaha and Pramac see progress from engine and rider with a view to 2027.
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