Jack Miller has offered a stark and unfiltered assessment of Yamaha’s current MotoGP situation, describing the experience of riding the M1 as a “lamb to the slaughter” due to its significant straight-line speed deficit.
Yamaha’s off-season switch to an all-new V4 engine was intended to bring the factory back into contention. However, the change has so far failed to deliver the expected breakthrough. Instead, it appears to have exposed even more weaknesses, particularly in top-end speed. Factory rider Fabio Quartararo has already noted that the bike currently lacks a clear strength, a view strongly echoed by Miller.
The problem became especially clear during the recent Americas Grand Prix at Austin. On the long back straight at the Circuit of the Americas, Yamaha riders were consistently among the slowest on the grid. Alex Rins recorded 342.4km/h, while Quartararo and rookie Toprak Razgatlioglu were among the lowest top speeds, trailing the fastest bikes by more than 10km/h. In a sport where marginal gains define outcomes, that deficit leaves Yamaha riders with almost no defensive options once they exit corners.
Miller’s own race experience further highlighted the issue. In a direct battle with Ducati’s Franco Morbidelli during the sprint race, he was able to stay competitive in corners and manage tyre performance, but lost ground immediately on the straights. The superior acceleration of the Ducati Desmosedici ultimately proved decisive.
Despite the difficult start to the season, Miller remains cautiously optimistic. Yamaha now has a short development window before the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez from April 24 to 26, following the revised calendar schedule. The team is expected to bring a series of updates, including potential changes to the swingarm, chassis, and engine configuration.
A post-race test at Jerez will also be important in assessing progress. Miller acknowledged the scale of the challenge, noting that developing a new platform takes time, especially with Yamaha’s late shift to the V4 project. However, he stressed that the team is actively working on solutions and feeding rider feedback directly into development.
For now, Yamaha’s focus is on narrowing the performance gap before it widens further, with Jerez seen as a crucial checkpoint in their rebuilding process.
