The worst-case scenario for Jack Miller and his continuity in MotoGP was «confirmed» today, with the announcement that Maverick Viñales will join GASGAS Tech3 for 2025. If the scenario wasn’t already the most favourable, given Pedro Acosta’s move to the official KTM team, the truth is that the Australian could now have one foot out of MotoGP… or is that really the case?
Miller is in his second year with KTM, a return that took place in 2023 after five years with Ducati in the colours of Pramac Racing, but he knows that his future won’t lie with any of these teams and there is unlikely to be a return to the Desmosedici via a Ducati satellite team, but recent rumours potentially point to… another return to a familiar home: Honda.
The Australian, it should be remembered, made his MotoGP debut in 2015 with LCR Honda – and then for two years with Marc VDS – and returning to the helm of the Japanese bike is one of the (only) possibilities on the table.
Some rumours had already pointed to this possibility which, it seems, could gain momentum since only two riders at Honda are contractually secure: Luca Marini (factory team, Repsol Honda) and Johann Zarco (satellite, LCR Honda).
Takaaki Nakagami is in his final year of contract and Lucio Cecchinello has left the door ajar for the Japanese rider, excusing him for the poor results the team is having due to the bike’s lack of competitiveness, but even before that the Japanese rider wasn’t the most virtuous, so he could leave and leave a place open for a rider with a lot of experience in the category, and with baggage from other more competitive manufacturers in recent years, which could serve as a banner for his acquisition.
Those same arguments play in Miller’s favour when looking at the factory team. Joan Mir is in the final year of his contract and has already had different speeches about the bike, partly stating that he is highly dissatisfied, which is understandable, but at the same time more recently showing some hope for what the future may bring.
What is certain is that Honda is one of the real possibilities for Miller, who at the beginning of the year was highlighted by Francesco Guidotti, who said that #43 was in a decisive year for his career and that he had to (really) show results and be more competitive, since his future at KTM was at stake and without forgetting that he is still a rider with too much quality not to be riding at the highest level.
There had also been talk about the possibility, even in 2023, of Miller being able to be a KTM test rider and have many wildcard participations, as well as a substantial increase in his salary, but that scenario is now unknown.
There are still a number of vacancies in MotoGP, as Yamaha has Álex Rins at the end of his contract, Gresini Racing has Álex Márquez finishing, and an open seat after Marc Márquez’s farewell, Franco Morbidelli (Pramac Racing) is also in his final year, as well as the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team duo (Fabio Di Giannantonio and Marco Bezzecchi), not forgetting Aprilia Racing and Trackhouse Racing (Miguel Oliveira and Raúl Fernández).
With the dance of the chairs taking place, Miller will have to play his cards right, not least because there are Moto2 riders on the lookout for a place in MotoGP, specifically at LCR Honda, like Ai Ogura.