Jack Miller wants to be the fastest Yamaha rider in MotoGP this season. The 30 year old Australian made that ambition public at the Pramac team launch in Siena on 13 January, where he and new teammate Toprak Razgatlioglu became the first riders to unveil their 2026 colours.
The Accademia Musicale Chigiana hosted the event, with Miller and Razgatlioglu presenting Yamaha’s new V4 powered machine to the media for the first time. Pramac is entering its second season with Yamaha after switching from Ducati, and the launch confirmed the team’s commitment to Iwata’s ambitious engine project.
Miller told Sky Italia that his target was straightforward: “The clear target for me at the moment is to try to be the best Yamaha. And if we do that we’ll be in good shape.”
His contract expires at the end of 2026. On his future, Miller added: “My goal is to stay with Yamaha and be on the grid in 2027 when the new regulations come into force.”
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How Miller Saved His MotoGP Career
In mid 2024, Miller thought he was finished in the premier class. KTM had dropped him. No factory showed serious interest. Then Yamaha came calling.
The Japanese manufacturer needed a rider who understood V4 engines. Miller had spent a decade racing them across three factories: Honda from 2015 to 2017, Ducati from 2018 to 2022, and KTM across 2023 and 2024.
Fabio Quartararo has only ever raced Yamaha’s inline four in MotoGP. Alex Rins spent one season on Honda’s V4 in 2023, but most of his career was on Suzuki’s inline four. Razgatlioglu arrives from World Superbikes having never started a Grand Prix.
That experience made Miller Yamaha’s preferred choice over teammate Miguel Oliveira, who has now moved to BMW in World Superbikes.
Yamaha Ditches the Inline Four After 24 Years
The switch to V4 configuration was officially announced on 16 November 2025. Test rider Augusto Fernandez had led early development through three wildcard appearances, scoring points on its debut at Misano.
Yamaha’s inline four had powered Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo, and Quartararo to eight rider championships across 429 Grand Prix starts since 2002. Abandoning that engine configuration was not a decision the factory took lightly.
Miller praised Yamaha’s efforts at the Siena launch, telling media: “It’s an unreal undertaking from Yamaha, what they did last year to develop this motorcycle alongside the current M1 at that time. With the time constraints we have with 22 rounds, they made miracles happen.”
He points to Michelin’s rear tyre evolution as a key factor behind the switch. Speaking to Crash.net, Miller explained: “The rear tyre changed two to three years ago. To get the outright potential out of the current rear tyre, you need to have the thing on the ground. You need to be using the rear tyre for stopping, mid corner and acceleration.”
Yamaha enters 2026 as the only factory in Rank D of the concessions system. That grants them unlimited engine development throughout the season, private testing with race riders at any circuit, and 260 test tyres. Ducati, Aprilia, KTM, and Honda all face stricter limitations.
Valencia Test: First Taste of the V4
Miller completed 51 laps on the V4 prototype during the Valencia test in November, finishing 20th with a best lap of 1:30.864.
He described the bike’s character to Crash.net: “It has a little bit of a Honda KTM sound to it, and a Ducati feel in terms of the inertia that you get out of the engine. But then it has its own character in terms of the torque progression and the way that the power comes on.”
Miller was candid about where Yamaha needs to improve. Electronics remain a major concern. He labelled the wheel spin “awful” during testing and joked that he was “asking Santa for about 25 horsepower” over Christmas.
Development priorities heading into Sepang:
- Electronics refinement, particularly traction control
- Power delivery and reducing wheel spin
- Overall horsepower gains
- Chassis stiffness adjustments
Razgatlioglu: First Turkish Rider in MotoGP History
Razgatlioglu becomes the first Turkish rider to compete in the premier class. The three time World Superbike champion beat Nicolo Bulega in a dramatic finale at Jerez in October to claim his third title. He will race with number 7 after his preferred 54 was already taken by Gresini’s Fermin Aldeguer.
At Valencia, he lapped just 1.3 seconds off the pace despite zero Grand Prix race experience.
His manager Kenan Sofuoglu offered a prediction at the Siena launch: “I think he can get a couple of podiums. Sometimes you need luck, whether it’s the weather or grip. I think he’ll find a way to do it.”
Razgatlioglu himself was measured about his expectations, telling media: “2026 might be a learning year for me, but maybe in 2027 with the new rules I can fight for the podium.”
On working alongside Miller, Razgatlioglu said: “Jack is a good teammate, he’s fun and that’s positive. We’ll work a lot together.”
Miller responded with characteristic Australian humour, admitting that the Turkish star is “the first teammate who can do a better stoppie than me.”
Pramac’s Difficult First Season with Yamaha
The Siena launch marked a fresh chapter for an outfit that dropped from MotoGP Teams’ World Champions in 2024 with Ducati to last in the standings in 2025 after switching to Yamaha. Pramac finished with 125 points, 40 behind nearest rival LCR Honda.
Miller finished 17th with 79 points. His best result was fifth place at the Americas Grand Prix. Seven retirements across the season, including three in a row at Lusail, Jerez, and Le Mans, made for an inconsistent year. He ranked second among the four Yamaha riders but finished 122 points behind Quartararo.
The 2026 season also marks two milestones: 25 years of Pramac in MotoGP and 60 years as a company.
Team principal Paolo Campinoti said at the launch: “The 2026 season is a special milestone for us, as we celebrate 25 years in the MotoGP World Championship. These years have been full of emotions, challenges and growth.”
Testing Schedule and Season Opener
The Sepang shakedown runs from 29 to 31 January. All four Yamaha riders are eligible to participate due to Rank D concession benefits, alongside test rider Augusto Fernandez and rookie Diogo Moreira from LCR Honda.
The first official test at Sepang follows from 3 to 5 February, with a second test at Buriram on 21 to 22 February. The season opener takes place at Buriram on 2 March.
The 2026 campaign is the final year of 1000cc machinery in MotoGP. Pirelli tyres and 850cc engines arrive in 2027 along with major aerodynamic rule changes. Yamaha needs the V4 programme to show progress before everything changes again.
Miller has 12 months to deliver results and earn another contract. Razgatlioglu is the only Pramac rider signed through 2027.
The 2026 MotoGP season begins at Buriram, Thailand on 2 March.
