Let's Talk MotoGP: It's High Time to Open the Jack Miller File

It's been in the pipeline for some time and it's now official: Jack Miller will be a Yamaha-Pramac rider in MotoGP for 2025, even benefiting from a factory YZR-M1. Alongside Miguel Oliveira, he will be tasked with bringing the firm back to where it deserves to be, that is to say at the very front. As I discovered online, this signing is controversial: we're going to analyze it because I too am rather skeptical.

 

Why ?

 

For the second time this week: I don't understand. Of all the possible and imaginable options, of all the promising Moto2 riders who dream of reaching the MotoGP, Yamaha chooses Jack Miller to strengthen its troops. Based on his recent results, I struggle to understand the relevance of this choice.

First, let's focus on his last two results. Since 2023, Jack Miller, official KTM rider, has not improved. But in a rather worrying way, I assure you. He has never been as good as during the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix, the fourth round of the previous championship. This is, at present, his only podium for the Austrian firm in the premier class. His end of season was marked by a notorious irregularity. (six blank results in total), while Brad Binder, with the same machine, disputed victories with Pecco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin. This had resulted in an 11th place in the general classification. So be it.

 

 

But in 2024, it's even worse. The Australian already has seven blank results (!), including four races finished outside the points. That's colossal. He also suffered a series of three consecutive retirements from Spain to Catalonia, a sort of flight-trip of the gravel traps. He is the only one to whom it happened, which means that even Joan Mir did not do worse. More irregular than ever, he can only be found in 15th place in the standings with only 58 points in his bag, against 165 for Brad Binder and 157 for Pedro Acosta. This makes him the last official driver of a European brand, and by quite a long way, since Aleix Espargaro, eighth, has 127 points on the clock. He is ahead of Miguel Oliveira – who is having an average season overall – but also Fabio Quartararo. I can't imagine the comparative results when both have the same frame.

You might think Miller would balance his up-and-down results with epic breakthroughs like he did a few years ago when he was riding the factory Ducati. In reality, it's quite the opposite. "Jackass" has two fifth-place finishes in Sprints and one in Grand Prix in his 28 starts this season so far. The worst part is that it only continues to decline. : his record is all the more sad since the German GP – 16 points in four meetings with an average of 2,25 points per race on Sunday.

 

Has Yamaha learned from its mistakes?

 

One of the arguments put forward by Lin Jarvis was: “With ten years of experience in MotoGP and three different manufacturers, Jack will be a valuable asset to Yamaha”. It's an old refrain, reused every time a rider over 28 is given a position of responsibility. Again, it's thin. Not that I doubt the experience accumulated by Jack Miller over all these years, but it is clear that his knowledge of the Ducati Desmosedici has not helped KTM more than that. The Mattighofen firm was much closer to the top than it is today in 2023 and Miller himself is struggling to adapt to the RC16, clearly.

 

 

This has been part of Yamaha's philosophy for some time. The Japanese imagine that everything will improve by recruiting well-known names. But it's as if they are completely unaware of the most recent form of said riders. This was already the case with Andrea Dovizioso in 2021, to replace Morbidelli in the Yamaha-Petronas SRT team. Extended in 2022 at Yamaha RNF, he was forced to abandon his task in the middle of the season following catastrophic results, what has become one of the saddest retirements in the history of our sport. The good years were over for "Desmodovi" and that seemed quite obvious to me. To my great surprise, Dovizioso was called back to give his opinion on the current M1; worse, it could become a cornerstone of the project!

There are many examples. I could mention the hiring of a Jorge Lorenzo who was totally exhausted after his year at Honda Repsol – and who, in the end, was not listened to. Cal Crutchlow was also poached. He who was burned out at the time of his retirement in 2020 had to put the leather back on to replace Dovizioso at the end of 2022, welcome to 2012. Besides, we don't see the Briton much anymore: according to the latest news, he is "physically exhausted", which says a lot about the mission.

It may be harsh, but in my opinion, the recruitment of Jack Miller fits into this logic. So, yes, he returns to Pramac, a team for which he was quite successful from 2018 to 2020. But beyond the nostalgic aspect, I struggle to justify this decision other than by the interest that his nationality represents in the MotoGP landscape.

 

 

I would have much preferred to see Augusto Fernandez as a starter and Jack Miller as a wild card than the other way around. Sure, Augusto is struggling right now, but having youth and explosiveness can also help a rebuilding project. See how Pedro Acosta is seen by his management, who is already heavily involved in the development of his bike and KTM in general.

 

Conclusion

 

As you will have understood, I am not a big fan of this signing. Fabio Quartararo will continue to swim, solo, in the absence of a teammate who is too often in the infirmary. But can he support this project single-handedly, when the firm has only declined since he took over? Oliveira could perhaps join him in the standings for a few rounds, granted, but his recent results are not very encouraging either. As usual, I hope I am wrong and wish nothing but happiness to a most likeable rider.

I'm curious to know what you think about it, then, tell me in comments!

As a reminder, this article only reflects the thoughts of its author, and not of the entire editorial team.

 

 

Cover photo: KTM