Marco Bezzecchi
Jack Miller looked set to be joining Yamaha’s World Superbike team in 2027 after failing to secure a seat on the MotoGP grid, but negotiations have reportedly now hit a roadblock due to the Australian’s salary demands.
During the recent MotoGP race weekend at the Sachsenring, it emerged that Jack Miller had decided on Yamaha’s World Superbike team as the next destination for him to ply his trade as a motorcycle racer.
The 31-year-old was left with little to no options on the MotoGP grid for 2027, with the majority of seats being filled in pre-season. There remains a handful of seats left, but Miller’s name has been absent from any hints or rumours of a possible switch.
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As such, Miller has now made it clear that any sort of switch will only take place if his demands are met, and Yamaha are currently facing a roadblock in the form of the Australian rider’s salary expectations.
Yamaha and Ducati unwilling to meet Jack Miller’s contract demand for World Superbike move
According to a report by Speedweek, Miller is currently requesting a yearly salary of €1m (£850,000) to ride in the production motorcycle racing category – a figure that ‘doesn’t align’ with the plans of both Yamaha and Ducati.
While Yamaha seems like the natural move for Miller, considering his close ties with the factory in MotoGP, Ducati have also emerged as an option following the Australian’s successful stint with that team that kick-started their dominance in the premier class.
Miller currently earns £2.2m-a-year at Pramac in MotoGP, so a drop to £850,000 would see his yearly salary decrease by over 60%.
On top of that, Miller was a staunch advocate for riders being paid what they deserve, and the four-time Grand Prix winner was an integral part of MotoGP introducing a minimum salary for each rider on the grid.
An amendment to the premier class rulebook for 2027 stipulates that every rider on the MotoGP grid must be paid €500k (£437k) at the very least, which, interestingly, is around the upper boundaries of what the top riders in World Superbikes reportedly earn.
While Yamaha are renowned for their financial prowess in MotoGP, they may not be as inclined to throw as much money at their efforts in WSBK. The report by the German outlet goes on to mention that Honda and BMW ‘could afford’ Miller’s demands if they chose to do so.
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