Jack Miller makes power move to demand new Yamaha deal

MotoGP rider Jack Miller has warned Yamaha that he has various options on the table when it comes to 2026, in what appears to be a big power play from the Australian.

You may be asking why this is so important. Well, there are a few reasons why a rider going public about a contract is big news, especially in today’s world.

See, MotoGP riders are no different to F1 drivers, football and basketball players, and so on. Where their next contract is coming from is vitally important, not just because of the financial stability, but because it could shape how competitive they might be over a certain period of time.

But there’s another factor as to why going public is important, and that’s because the balance of play in recent years has seemingly shifted towards sports athletes, rather than teams, or even the sport they ride, drive or play in.

As an avid fan of American Football - better known as the NFL - I have seen player balance force a team's hands into giving them what they want on several occasions. That might be a new contract, being released, or being ‘traded’ to another team.

MotoGP had its own similar story a few years ago when Maverick Vinales wanted out of Yamaha so desperately that he over-revved his M1 engine at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria, on the cool down lap. What Vinales did could have blown up the engine, which unsurprisingly left the team miffed by his actions

On that occasion, an already deteriorated partnership swiftly came to an end between both parties, which then allowed Vinales to head off and sign with Aprilia - and the rest was supposed to be history.

Vinales developed a strong partnership with Aprilia, and while the relationship was better than at Yamaha, Vinales did eventually move on from the Italian brand after three and a bit seasons, switching to KTM for 2025.

I think it would be fair to say Vinales did the right call switching to Aprilia, as he joined the team at a time where it became more competitive than Yamaha, although his ultimate departure would likely tell you that not enough success was had.

Vinales’ incident with Yamaha was not about a contract renewal, but still, it highlights the fact that the actions of a rider can have a very big impact. Yamaha is now in the news as one of its riders has seemingly given them an ultimatum.

Miller, who joined the Japanese brand for the 2025 season as part of the Pramac team, said on the eve of the Hungarian Grand Prix that he has other options and he will explore them unless Yamaha acts fast.

Miller has had some impressive performances with the M1 so far in 2025, a bike that like Honda’s RC213V, has made big steps forward again this year.

But the ex-Ducati and KTM rider admits he’s running out of patience. Speaking to MotoGP.com and various other reporters at the new Balaton Park circuit, in Hungary, Miller said: “I’ve been more than patient enough. If you want me, you want me, if you don’t, you don’t. It’s as clear as that.”

Miller then added: “Your guess is as good as mine at the moment, in terms of what their strategy is and what they plan on doing. I have options, and I’m going to move forward with those options if it doesn’t come quickly."

Pramac Yamaha has already secured the services of WorldSBK champion Toprak Razgatlioglu for 2026, while Miller’s team-mate Miguel Oliveira has a contract that runs beyond this year.

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