– In the current field of MotoGP regulars for 2026, Jack Miller is one of several who are looking for alternatives for the year 2027. Since the current contract expires at the end of 2026 and most of the spots for the 2027 MotoGP season are already firmly assigned, a handful of veterans have to come to terms with the fact that their MotoGP career is coming to an end.
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Alex Rins is also part of this group, as are Brad Binder, Franco Morbidelli, Maverick Vinales, and of course Miller. As far as the MotoGP veteran from Australia is concerned, his future could lie in the Superbike World Championship (WSBK). So far, only Andrea Locatelli has been confirmed in the Yamaha factory team there. The second R1, currently ridden by Xavi Vierge, is still available for 2027.
Miller, who has been riding a Yamaha M1 for the Pramac team in the MotoGP World Championship since 2025, has already held talks about his future, and not only with Yamaha, as he reveals: “We are talking to everyone and trying to figure out which step is best for me looking ahead. I am curious. Hopefully, we will have some news in the coming weeks. If not, then not.”
In this context, Miller hints that he can well imagine a future with Yamaha in the Superbike World Championship: “I think we are on the same wavelength. I really enjoy working with Yamaha, no question. I like the company a lot.”
“A few weeks ago we were in Suzuka,” Miller refers to his successful participation in the 8-hour race there. “I wouldn’t have done that if I didn’t enjoy working with the people. I work side by side with the Japanese and the entire management. We will see what comes out of it together,” says the Australian.
Miller shared the Yamaha factory team’s motorcycle at the 8h Suzuka, part of the motorcycle endurance world championship, with Andrea Locatelli and Katsuyuki Nakasuga. As a trio, they finished second for the second year in a row. Yamaha did not want to confirm a few weeks ago that Miller and Locatelli will both compete for the Yamaha factory team in the Superbike World Championship next year – quite the opposite.
“I read that Miller is going to Yamaha for 2027 and want to emphasize that this is not true. Yes, we have a spot open for 2027, but at the moment we have not signed anyone,” said Nicolo Canepa, head of Yamaha’s WSBK program, to GPOne in mid-July.
Photo gallery: The career highlights of Jack Miller
At that time, Canepa hinted that they could imagine continuing the collaboration with Xavi Vierge: “We are very satisfied with Vierge and are negotiating to keep him for next year. Of course, as usual, we are exploring all options. But I don’t think there are many riders on the market who can do a better job than he is currently doing for us.”
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Since Canepa’s statements, five weeks have passed. In the current 2026 WSBK overall standings, Vierge ranks 14th after 8 of 12 season rounds. Teammate Locatelli is in 11th place. Neither of the two Yamaha factory riders has made it to the podium so far in the Ducati-dominated season. Is the Ducati dominance something that could deter Jack Miller from switching to the Superbike World Championship?
Given the dominance shown by championship leader Nicolo Bulega with currently 23 of 24 possible race wins (main races and sprints), Miller openly admits: “This year is not the most interesting from a spectator’s point of view. Nothing against Nicolo, he is doing a fantastic job. But it needs rivals.”
“I myself have stopped following the races because the same person always wins. It was already a formality,” says Miller and continues: “When Iker (Bulega’s Ducati teammate Iker Lecuona; editor’s note) finally managed to beat him once, I was very happy. But it’s not just about riders who can fight, but also manufacturers.”
Miller, whose statements come from the MotoGP weekend in Silverstone and are therefore fresher than those of Canepa, hinted on this occasion that he can well imagine himself and Yamaha in the role of Ducati challenger in 2027: “Ducati is incredibly strong there. That’s why it’s about understanding what steps we need to take to beat these guys. They have won every single race this year.”
Whatever Jack Miller’s future looks like, he has come to terms with leaving the MotoGP World Championship at the end of the 2026 season: “It’s a very strange, very odd feeling. And with me, it was always the case that I could pull something out of the hat at the last moment. So you can never really know if you want to quit. But I’m not naive. I know it will happen.”
“I feel,” Miller continues, “that I am riding better than ever. But unfortunately, the level of the others is so incredibly high that it is just the way it is if you don’t have the right package. I myself have had the right package in the past [in the Ducati factory team] and was not able to do what was necessary to stay there. That’s just how it goes.”
Postscript from Miller regarding his future: “I am looking forward to what comes next and what I can achieve there.”
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