Jack Miller minimized the impact of Yamaha missing the second day of Sepang MotoGP testing, describing the technical issues that stalled the V4’s track time as typical growing pains for a new bike. The Pramac rider topped the MotoGP timesheets on the second day of the final shakedown, starting the test 14th overall and 1.406 seconds behind reigning champion Marc Marquez.
However, Yamaha abandoned plans to shift focus from testing new parts to base setup after Fabio Quartararo and Toprak Razgatlioglu experienced mysterious technical faults on day one, leading to the cancellation of day two. Following an overnight investigation in Japan and Italy, testing resumed on the last day but with limited mileage.
“It’s just a hiccup, but that’s the reality,” Miller commented. “If you think building a bike in nine months for the world’s best teams and don’t have a day like yesterday, you’d be naive.” He added that the entire Yamaha team across continents worked overnight to find solutions to get back on track. Miller emphasized that it’s better to face such issues now than during a race like Buriram.
On the final day, Miller completed 32 laps and ranked 17th with a time 1.754 seconds off the pace. “I didn’t extract what I wanted from the bike, but that wasn’t its fault — it was me,” he said. He described efforts over recent days to swap parts like the chassis and analyze their strengths and weaknesses. “Now we need to settle on a familiar setup, refine the electronics, find more horsepower, and then we’ll be in good shape.”
Miller’s average top speed was 327.8km/h, about 10km/h slower than Fabio Di Giannantonio’s Ducati. Notably, Miller’s first lap during the sprint simulation outpaced his previous low-fuel time attack, reflecting his adjustment process to the V4. He expressed satisfaction with the bike’s performance in the sprint, especially under hotter track conditions when the bike remained stable and responsive. Miller was the only Yamaha rider to complete the race simulation, finishing the 10-lap morning run 13.957 seconds behind Alex Marquez’s top Ducati time.
For context, Miller had finished 9th in a sprint race last October, significantly better than the 14th place and 17.6 seconds gap he had with his former inline bike. He further improved his best lap in the afternoon by a mere 0.010 seconds. Quartararo is sidelined for the rest of the test due to a finger injury, while Alex Rins recorded the fastest Yamaha time in 12th position, 1.178 seconds off Marquez.
Thanks to Yamaha’s D concession status, the manufacturer can redesign the engine if the issue remains unresolved by the end of the test and can organize private sessions with race riders to compensate for lost track time. The season’s final pre-season MotoGP test is scheduled for February 21-22 in Buriram.
Fan Take:
This update is crucial for racing fans as it highlights Yamaha’s transparency and willingness to address early challenges with their new V4 machine, a move that could reshape competitiveness in MotoGP. Overcoming these hurdles now paves the way for a more thrilling and unpredictable season ahead, signaling exciting developments in bike technology and team strategies.
