Yamaha offered Jack Miller a MotoGP lifeline with his contract to race for Pramac in 2025, yet the Australian has an uncertain future with Toprak Razgatlioglu set to join.
The Japanese outfit took advantage of KTM releasing Miller at the end of the 2024 season in favour of promoting Pedro Acosta to get the 30-year-old after Yamaha persuaded Pramac to leave the Ducati satellite team stable. But Yamaha only gave Miller a one-year deal for 2025.
Yamaha have come to love their decision to sign Miller as the Townsville, Queensland native is the second-best rider on the M1 this season behind factory rider Fabio Quartararo. Miller has scored 29 points, of which he earned 11 with a year-best P5 in the Americas Grand Prix.
Yet questions have persistently floated around Miller’s place at Pramac, with the Australian the only Yamaha rider without a contract for the 2026 MotoGP season. It is also now widely expected that Yamaha will announce their signing of Razgatlioglu to join Pramac at Mugello.
Neil Hodgson would be ‘shocked’ if Yamaha included a performance-based release clause in Pramac rider Miguel Oliveira’s contract
Razgatlioglu will switch from World Superbikes to MotoGP next year after agreeing to ride a factory-supported Yamaha M1 at satellite team Pramac, having previously rejected anything but a full works seat. Yet who the double WSBK champion joins at Pramac is slightly unclear.
READ MORE: Everything to know about Miguel Oliveira from net worth to wife
While Miller does not have a contract for 2026 and Yamaha gave Miguel Oliveira a two-year deal to join Pramac this season, the latter could yet face the axe. It is now said that Oliveira has performance-based release clauses in his Yamaha contract, which could void next term.
Oliveira is only 23rd in the riders’ championship and is the worst-performing Yamaha rider this season with two points. But Neil Hodgson would be ‘shocked’ if Yamaha included any performance-based release clauses in Oliveira’s contract, having ‘never’ seen one before.
“People are saying that maybe there’s a performance clause in Oliveira’s contract,” Hodgson told TNT Sports 2 (6/6, 10:32): “I would be surprised if that’s the case. I’ve looked at a lot of contracts, I’ve managed Alex Lowes, I’ve seen factory Kawasaki, Yamaha, Suzuki contracts.
“I’ve dealt with some of my contracts. I’ve never seen, to this day, one performance clause. This is not common at all. So, people say there’ll definitely be a performance clause in Miguel Oliveira’s contract, I’d be shocked if there was. I’ve never seen one.”
Miguel Oliveira’s uncommon release clause could see Jack Miller partner Toprak Razgatlioglu at Pramac in 2026
If Yamaha did indeed include a performance-based release clause, Oliveira may be at risk of the axe partway through a two-year contract to ride for Pramac. He only has two points this year to Miller’s 29, and he even sat out three rounds after sustaining an injury in Argentina.
Oliveira dislocated a sternoclavicular ligament in his left shoulder in round two after a crash in the Sprint Race in Argentina. He did not return until the French Grand Prix and is still yet to add to the points the Portuguese secured back in round one ahead of the Aragon Grand Prix.
READ MORE: Everything to know about Jack Miller from net worth to wife
Miller, on the other hand, further proved his value to Yamaha at the British Grand Prix last time out after leaving Silverstone with 10 of his points for the campaign. He also qualified in P6 as Quartararo secured pole at Silverstone, while Alex Rins was P12 and Oliveira was P15.
Now, Oliveira’s injury could even open the door for Yamaha to exercise the clause Hodgson would be ‘shocked’ if it existed and release the 30-year-old from his contract, while opening another door for Miller to stay at Pramac and partner with Razgatlioglu in the 2026 season.
Reports claim that Yamaha can release Oliveira if he is their worst rider at a certain point of the 2025 season. Pramac team manager Gino Borsoi is open to Miller staying at the team in 2026, as well, having impressed with his form since leaving a KTM RC16 for an M1 this year.
