Jack Miller is absolutely thrilled with his Yamaha, calling it ‘pretty bloody good’—a bold statement that’s turning heads in the MotoGP world. But here’s where it gets controversial: while some riders struggle to adapt to new bikes, Miller seems to have hit the ground running with Yamaha’s 2026 model. Could this be the game-changer he’s been waiting for? Let’s dive in.
During the recent testing sessions, Miller clocked in as the fourth-fastest in the first session and 14th in the second, landing him 14th overall for Pramac when combined. His quickest lap, a 1:58.252s, came in the morning, just 0.358s shy of Alex Marquez’s blistering 1:57.487s on the Ducati Desmosedici GP26. And this is the part most people miss: neither Miller nor Marquez managed to improve their times in the second session, which raises questions about consistency and bike performance under varying conditions.
Miller, who often criticized the lack of front-end feel in 2025, seems genuinely excited about the new bike. ‘It was a busy but decent day,’ he said after completing 48 laps. ‘We experimented with various set-ups, focusing on understanding the cause-and-effect relationship between changes. It’s a real learning process.’ He also highlighted tweaks to the electronics, acknowledging that test days can be both frustrating and rewarding. ‘The basic package is there,’ he added. ‘It feels like a completely new bike but still retains Yamaha’s signature traits—the M1’s turning ability is intact, and the front-end feel is, well, pretty bloody good.’
Here’s the kicker: Miller admits there’s room for improvement, but he’s already impressed. Could this be the year Yamaha makes a comeback? Or is it too early to tell? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Meanwhile, Pramac teammate Toprak Razgatlioglu made his first significant MotoGP appearance on Tuesday, marking a major shift from his WorldSBK championship days. Razgatlioglu posted a 1:58.887s in the first session (14th fastest) and a 2:00.596s in the second (21st), finishing 20th overall—1.869s behind Marc Marquez’s top lap. For Razgatlioglu, this transition is his toughest challenge yet. ‘I focused on seat position today, as it feels most different from what I’m used to,’ he explained. By the end of the day, a higher seat improved his control under braking and boosted his confidence in corners. ‘Tomorrow, I’ll focus on the handlebars, which still feel a bit high,’ he added. ‘Testing is all about understanding whether I can adapt my style or if the bike needs to adapt to me.’
As MotoGP testing at Sepang continues on Wednesday, one thing is clear: both Miller and Razgatlioglu are pushing boundaries. But will Yamaha’s new bike live up to the hype? And can Razgatlioglu bridge the gap to the top riders? What’s your take? Share your predictions below—this could be the start of an exciting season!
