The 2025 season is fast approaching! Until February 27, the day before the opening round in Thailand, Let's Talk MotoGP will focus on each of the riders competing in the premier class. We will discuss the anticipation they generate, their abilities, and, finally, deliver a little prediction. Today, it's time to talk about the future of Jack Miller, Pramac-Yamaha rider in MotoGP.
Yesterday we returned to the case of Somkiat Chantra in an article that I invite you to find by clicking here.
A failed stint at KTM
Jack Miller's case is particularly difficult to deal with. After a failed season at KTM (last rider on a European factory bike), I didn't see him finding another handlebar in MotoGP, if it were not for his Australian nationality. The continent-country represents a very large market, which is essential to invest in for manufacturers competing in the premier class. A bit like with Chantra, Miller's situation illustrates the importance of geopolitical issues in Grands Prix.
Well, it's nice to have an Australian on the grid, granted, but Pramac-Yamaha has still signed a rider for at least a year. The Miller-Oliveira pairing bears a great responsibility, since Yamaha is counting on this satellite team to return to the top. This is where my first problem with this choice comes in. I don't think Miller has shown enough to claim to shake things up at Yamaha., because that will be his mission.
Jack Miller has been on the grid for four manufacturers: Honda, Ducati, KTM and now Yamaha. Photo: Michelin Motorsport
Borsoï and his men know full well that he will not be counted on to win races, or to frequently stand on the podium – something he is no longer capable of, I fear –. No, the goal of the two Pramac riders will be very different from Ducati's times: it will be to help the tuning fork house regain the throne. Sure, they will benefit from the 1 YZR-M2025s, but I strongly doubt that the emphasis will be on pure performance rather than development. And even in this secondary, albeit crucial, role, I think Miller is the wrong person.
He was an excellent second rider at Ducati, there is no doubt about it. But the Borgo Panigale firm did not really move up a gear when he was there: the bike was already ready. Then, the same observation at KTM, where his mixed results prevented him from imposing his vision. He only regressed, and the RC16 did not really evolve between the time he was designated as factory rider and the time he was logically ousted to make way for Acosta, who, in just one year, already weighed more. Why would Miller turn into a seasoned developer once at Yamaha, especially in such a difficult environment?
A blurry ceiling?
Now, let's come to the point that hurts, namely the results. What to expect from Miller in 2025? The Sepang tests showed us that the Yamaha seemed to have progressed, but history also teaches us that we should not trust the winter tests. I have the impression that everyone agrees on this, but that every year, when a random rider shines at the beginning of February, the media machine goes into overdrive and makes you believe that he will be the revelation. If and only if the Yamaha has really progressed, I do not see why Miller would benefit more than Fabio Quartararo or Miguel Oliveira (which I think is inherently better).
Its ceiling is quite blurry, because its constant regression since the beginning of 2023 prevents us from imagining anything good. On a fairly fast RC16 in 2024, he only finished 14th in the world championship, completely dropped by Binder and Acosta. He still has a great ability to project, but struggles to stay at the front for long. Jack still managed some good results, including a double fifth place in Portugal, on one of his favorite circuits. If we add to that a chronic irregularity noted for years, it doesn't leave much room for hope.
Jack Miller remains an interesting commodity for Liberty Media because, in addition to being Australian, he is a real entertainer. Photo: Michelin Motorsport
He has always adapted quite well to new machines, but I think he has never faced such an unfavourable context. He arrives in a reconstruction project, has not been able to take the measure of the ambient philosophy – unlike Alex Rins –, with a team that he has known in the past, certainly, but which is also changing creameries. So I don't see how he could do better than on KTM.
The prognosis
Sadly, The future I predict for Jack Miller is bleak. First, because I didn't even imagine him finding a handlebar for 2025, and second, because he has only been regressing since the first third of the 2023 season. At 30 years old already, he is discovering a bike, a project and a team in full transition, and will be a teammate of riders who are intrinsically much stronger than him. I fear I have to predict a disappointing result for him: between 19th and 21st place in the general classification.
I'm curious to know what fate you foresee for Jack Miller, then, tell me in the comments!
As a reminder, this article only reflects the thoughts of its author, and not of the entire editorial team.
Jack Miller is at a crucial point in his career, because if he doesn't get it right this year, the future will be complicated. Photo: Michelin Motorsport
Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport
