A few months ago, Jack Miller’s future was hanging by a thread. After a tough stint with KTM, the Austrian manufacturer decided not to continue with Miller for 2025. With no clear options elsewhere, it looked like Miller would either have to switch to World Superbikes or step away from top-level racing completely.

Fast forward to February, and Miller’s career has been saved. He has secured a factory contract with Yamaha, racing for Pramac Yamaha this season, and things are already looking promising. Pre-season testing has gone so well that even Miller himself is surprised at how quickly he has adapted to the Yamaha M1.

Transition to Yamaha

Miller’s early impressions of the M1 have been overwhelmingly positive. He immediately felt comfortable with the front-end handling, describing it as “phenomenally fantastic.” This strong connection with the bike allowed him to get up to speed quickly during testing at Sepang.

While Yamaha struggled a little in low-grip conditions at Buriram, Miller still managed to finish on the timesheets. More importantly, he believes there is still more performance to unlock, which gives him confidence for the season ahead.

“I always knew the Yamaha had solid fundamentals,” Miller said in Thailand. “It was just a question of how my riding style would adapt. I’m really happy with where I’m at—every lap, I’m learning something new, like where I could carry more corner speed or release the brakes a little earlier. It’s a fun bike to ride.”

Areas for Improvement

Despite the positive start, Miller acknowledged that there are areas Yamaha needs to improve, particularly rear-end stability and engine performance. However, he believes the team is on the right track and expects steady improvements throughout the early races.

“We’ve already made big steps forward, and I think we’ll keep making gains as the season progresses,” he added. “I feel optimistic going into the championship. Testing is done—now I’m eager to start racing.”

To prepare for the season opener in Thailand, Miller completed a sprint race simulation. While a faulty engine map affected his average lap time, he was still pleased with his long-run pace. “I had to use a qualifying map instead of a race map, which made the last few laps pretty wild. But it was a good learning experience,” he explained.

A Familiar Team

Miller’s move to Yamaha makes them the fourth manufacturer he has raced for. However, his transition to Pramac has been smoother than expected, thanks to his previous experience with the team, having raced for Pramac Ducati.

“It’s tough for riders to switch bikes, but it’s even harder for a team to adapt after working with the same machine for 10-15 years,” Miller said. “But they’ve done an amazing job. I think we’re in a good place to go racing now.”