Pramac Yamaha rider Jack Miller has expressed confidence in his new machine after a successful pre-season test at Sepang, declaring that the M1 already feels like home. The four-time race winner, who returns to Pramac for the 2025 season, has now experienced his fourth different bike in his career, having previously raced for Honda, Ducati, and KTM.
Adapting to a New Machine
After a challenging introduction to the Yamaha during Barcelona’s pre-season sessions last November, Miller has now found his rhythm. During the three-day Sepang test, he was among the top 10 on the first two days and finished the final day in 12th place. Having wrapped up his test program early on Friday, Miller shared his thoughts on adapting to the new equipment:
“I feel good. I sit on the bike now and, as I roll out in the morning, I truly feel ‘ah, I’m on my bike.’ When you change manufacturers, it can take some time because everything is different—the way the tank sits, your bars, your pegs. But once I got my bars and pegs in the right spot, the adaptation was surprisingly smooth. The tank feels great—no lumps or bumps that used to cause sore legs when you’re not seated properly.”
Miller’s overall sentiment was one of quiet confidence. Despite a crash at Turn 4 during a time attack on the final day—attributed to a temporary lack of understanding of the Yamaha’s braking behavior—he remains optimistic.
Focus for Future Testing
Looking ahead to the next test session in Thailand, Miller identified specific areas that still need refinement, particularly the bike’s performance on corner exits.
“Braking is really good, and mid-corner speed is strong, but my connection from mid-corner to exit in the first sector could be better. For example, in Turn 1—it’s a round corner with low grip—I found I didn’t need to initiate the turn immediately; I could delay my turn-in a bit and let the bike brake more straight up before tipping in.”
Miller further explained that while he believes his own technical approach gives him an edge in some areas, the team is also working on adjusting the Yamaha’s throttle response. He noted:
“Yamaha has a really short stroke on the throttle, and the increments are a bit too short for my liking when trying to keep the bike in its drive window. The guys are already working on a modification for Thailand to give us a little more throw in the throttle tube.”
A Promising Start
Miller’s positive remarks reflect not only his growing comfort with the Yamaha M1 but also the team’s ongoing efforts to fine-tune the bike. As the season approaches, he remains focused on building on this momentum and preparing a competitive race package for the upcoming rounds.
With further testing scheduled in Thailand, Miller is confident that with each session, the M1 will continue to evolve into a machine that fully supports his aggressive riding style. “I’m not stressed,” he added, “I know that with more experience on the bike and with continued development, it will be in great shape by race day.”
As Pramac Yamaha gears up for the 2025 campaign, all eyes will be on how quickly the team can harness the potential of the new bike—and how riders like Jack Miller will translate that progress into performance on the track.
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