The scenario had everything to give hope. Jack Miller, 18th in the general classification and seeking redemption after a disastrous 2025 season, seemed to be holding on for a solid result at the Indonesian Grand Prix. In a weekend where the Pramac Yamaha had finally regained some competitiveness, the Australian clung to the leading group, ready to give his team its best result of the year. But with three laps to go, everything changed. Again.
For 24 rounds, Miller had managed his race perfectly. Patient strategy, preserved tires, constant pace: he had even dared to bet on the medium rear tire, unique among Yamaha . Then Franco Morbidelli (VR46 Ducati) appears at turns 11-12. Miller cuts the throttle to avoid contact at high speed, finds himself catapulted off the proper trajectory. Fabio DiGiannantonio takes the opportunity to pass. A few turns later, dirty tires, non-existent grip: the Yamaha pick up and Miller ends up in the gravel trap.
« With three laps to go, Franky passed me.…I cut the gas to avoid the collision and I ended up on the dirty part. The next time, I put the bike down and fell. Damn, in the end, so disappointed ", coward Miller, dejected, on the microphone of Fox Sports Australia.
Having come back to save fourteenth place and a single point, he draws no comfort from it: another race ruined in the final minutes, a pattern that has become all too familiar.
For Pramac, the bitterness is immense. The team is experiencing a complicated season with the transition to the engine V4 Yamaha, and Mandalika finally seemed to offer some light. Miller et Miguel Oliveira were fighting together in the group competing for the last places on the podium. A solid result would have been a real breath of fresh air. Instead, the team leaves empty-handed again.
Jack Miller: “ I ran a semi-intelligent race... and blew it in the end »
This crash is all the more cruel because Miller is the only pilot Yamaha to have attempted a daring strategic bet - a choice of rear tire that Fabio Quartararo He himself had not risked it. But once again, the promise turned into disillusionment.
The problem is bigger than just a racing incident. 2025 was supposed to be the year when Jack Miller would prove to Yamaha that he deserved to be kept on despite the fierce competition in the driver market. Instead, the Australian is sinking: 18th in the championship, his worst performance since 2016, a victory at Le Mans gone, and mistakes are being repeated.
Only its key role in the technical development of the Yamaha M1 allowed him to keep his seat. But at this rate, it will be difficult to convince for much longer. Especially when his teammate Miguel Oliveira, yet pushed towards the exit by the arrival of Toprak Razgatlioglu, already bouncing back: contract in pocket with BMW for WorldSBK 2026 and advanced discussions to become a test rider Aprilia in MotoGP.
Jack Miller himself summed up his weekend: "I ran a semi-intelligent race... and I blew it in the end." »
It's hard to be more lucid. But the problem is no longer just a stroke of luck. Miller repeats the same mistakes: cautious management, good pace, then a decisive misstep at the end. For a driver of 30 years who is playing for his survival at the highest level, this is an alarming signal.
Miller remains appreciated for his ability to develop the bike and his outspokenness, but the raw results no longer follow. While Yamaha struggles to get the M1 out of the doldrums and that Pramac is holding on to a few points, seeing one of its drivers throw away positions on the last lap has a bitter taste.
2026 will be a do-or-die. Miller will no longer have the right to make mistakes. Without solid podiums or consistency, Yamaha might decide to turn the page — especially in a paddock MotoGP where emerging talents are already knocking at the door.
