It's prediction time! Every season, this column tries to guess what will happen in the coming months, focusing on all the drivers in the category. Then, at the end of each article, the author will make a prediction, but will also welcome yours in the comments! Today, it's time to talk about Jack Miller.
A matter of survival
Yamaha Pramac rider Jack Miller has kept a low profile in recent years. Since the start of the 2023 season and his few exploits when he was discovering the KTM RC16, we haven't heard much from the Australian, not even when joking around. In 2025, I was surprised by his contract extension with Pramac given his results.But thinking about it, He still had a better season than Miguel Oliveira and Alex Rins.
A significant challenge awaits Miller in 2026. Photo: Michelin Motorsport
What can we hope for him? If I were one of his fans, I'd simply want him to keep a ride in the premier class; that would be a good start. At 31, "Jackass" doesn't have much left to prove, and I believe, not much left to offer in the most prestigious category. I think he should be aiming for a contract extension, more than a top overall position. And this will inevitably involve spectacular actions..
Miller with a V4, can that work?
In 2025, Jack Miller didn't have a very good season, we can all agree on that. However, only he and Quartararo managed to make the Yamaha YZR-M1 shine occasionally. Miller achieved a few successes here and there. I remember that race in Austin, a fairly solid weekend in Germany, and a very good Saturday in Australia. Apart from that, there's nothing to write home about. But it's still honorable..
I wanted to take this opportunity to refute the idea that he'll be more comfortable now that the Yamaha is equipped with a V4. Many believe that because he was strong on Ducati in 2022, his engine experience gained at Honda LCR, then at the Borgo Panigale factory, and finally at KTM might be significant. I don't believe that at all, and I even think that these questions of engine architecture are not that importantOne may prefer the inline four, another the V4, but history shows that a rider's form depends primarily on the overall performance of the motorcycle, its dynamics, their physical and mental condition, etc. Engine architecture only comes last.
Let's take Alex Rins as an example. Excellent on the Suzuki GSX-RR L4 from 2017 to 2022, everyone feared the switch to the Honda V4 in 2023, because his style "didn't fit". The result: he triumphed over the favorites after just a few races.Having returned to an inline-four at Yamaha, he hasn't done anything since. I could also use the example of Miguel Oliveira, who everyone told me had the typical riding style for an inline-four. The result: from a performance standpoint, his year at Yamaha was his worst. MotoGP.
I find it hard to believe he can still surprise me after all these years. Photo: Michelin Motorsport
So no, don't expect miracles from Jack Miller just because he's got a V4 back. As a reminder, He also had a V4 when he had that season unworthy of his rank in 2024 at KTM.
Time for the prediction!
I mentioned in the article about Alex Rins that I expected a rather weak Yamaha this year. The 2026 season is clearly designed to prepare for 2027, I'm afraid, and I don't have high hopes for this brand-new machine. Visualizing Iwata's firm as the last force on the board doesn't pose too much difficulty for me.
Jack Miller would therefore be an indirect victim this year, but particularly because of his nationality, which is very important to Liberty Media, I can easily see him keeping a MotoGP ride, and why not with Pramac? Performance-wise, it will probably be a typical season for Miller, with many crashes, chronic inconsistency, but one or two strong performances to salvage the whole thing. In the standings, I expect to see him finish between 18th and 20th place., so in the last place, but still ahead of Alex Rins, which would be quite consistent with what I observed in 2025.
Are you expecting anything from Jack Miller in 2026? Tell me in the comments!
As a reminder, this article only reflects the thoughts of its author, and not of the entire editorial team.
Will he be ahead of Toprak in my rankings? Only time will tell. Photo: Michelin Motorsport
Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport
