Pramac Prima Yamaha rider Jack Miller, after failing to score points at the Czech GP in Brno, has expressed optimism for this weekend's Dutch MotoGP. Miller believes the Assen circuit, where he secured his first premier class victory with the Marc VDS team in 2016, is a much better fit for Yamaha's V4 engine than Brno.
Assen's fluid design could give V4 an advantage.
Miller stated to the press on Thursday that he was happy to return to Assen: “It’s quite a different track from Brno. I think we can be more competitive here.” The Australian driver summarized Assen’s character: “Momentum is key on this track. It’s not a place that requires a lot of hard acceleration and braking.” Miller also touched on the tire life issues they experienced last year: “In 2025 we were competitive to some extent, but we struggled a lot with tire life. This year with the V4 we are in a much better position with the tires; hopefully we will have a better weekend.’
Front shock absorbers are receiving unfair criticism.
While Miller acknowledges that the Yamaha V4 has been criticized for its lack of acceleration on straightaways, he argues that the front end is unfairly targeted. ’It gets harsh criticism because it’s already in a difficult situation. You’re trying to make up for what you lose in acceleration and on the straights in braking and cornering,“ he said. According to Miller, the front shock absorber isn’t actually that bad considering its position: ”I don’t think it’s the most problematic point. We really demand a lot from it when braking, when cornering, and because of the cornering speed we’re carrying. That’s why the front end is under so much strain.“
Miller is expecting a better result in Assen for precisely this reason: “It’s a bike that allows you to maintain a reasonable speed in the corners. Assen is exactly that kind of track. I think we can try to be a little more competitive.” The rider’s previous weekend before Brno was not very productive; having failed to score points at the Czech GP, Miller aims to improve his performance at the Dutch GP.