Toprak Razgatlioglu is reportedly set to join the Pramac MotoGP team for 2026. That means either Jack Miller or Miguel Oliveira will lose their seat.
It emerged last week that Razgatlioglu had decided to join Pramac, having also been linked with Honda. The move could be announced as early as the Mugello weekend this month.
Razgatlioglu will receive equal equipment to Fabio Quartararo, Yamaha’s franchise rider. El Diablo has outclassed his M1 competitors this season.
Quartararo, who has scored three consecutive pole positions and finished on the podium in Spain, sits eighth in the championship on 59 points. Miller is next-best, eight places and 30 points behind.
Alex Rins is a place further back on 26, while Oliveira is one of the lowest-ranking full-time riders on just two points. He did, however, miss Austin, Lusail and Jerez – as well as Sunday’s race in Argentina – through injury.
Miguel Oliveira not meeting performance clause in Pramac MotoGP deal
Miller and Oliveira both joined Pramac this winter, the former from KTM and the latter from Aprilia. But there’s a key difference in their contracts.
The Australian only signed for the 2025 season, while Oliveira penned a multi-year deal. On the face of it, Miller is clearly more vulnerable as Razgatlioglu prepares to join.
However, Paddock Pass podcast journalist David Emmett has learned that Oliveira isn’t meeting a performance clause at present. That means the second year of his contract isn’t guaranteed.
“As I understand it, Oliveira has certain performance clauses in his contract, and he’s not living up to them,” Emmett said. “Part of that is not his own fault, because he’s been injured.
“With Jack Miller, you can see he’s adapting to the bike really well, he’s getting on with the bike really well. Miguel Oliveira is not. His performance really hasn’t improved. He’s gone backwards, if anything. He doesn’t really look like he’s mastered the bike, like he enjoys the bike. It’s not been a happy marriage.
“I’m not sure there’s much value in Yamaha keeping him. It may be that Dorna want to keep him for the Portuguese market because obviously he’s a massive superstar in Portugal.”
Yamaha may have hinted at Jack Miller decision before Toprak Razgatlioglu swoop
Miller leads the qualifying head-to-head 4-0 when both riders participate. He’s up by the same margin in the race-day battle.
On that basis, it would be extremely harsh to axe the four-time Grand Prix winner. Oliveira’s clause puts his future in his own hands, but as Emmett notes, he’s uncomfortable on the bike.
Yamaha have been ‘nothing but positive’ about Miller, in particular his contribution to their development. They’re back in the victory conversation after languishing in the lower midfield last year.
That may be a hint that they would like to keep him on board. Neil Hodgson says Pramac are seeing the best version of Miller this year in terms of his comfort on the saddle.
