Jack Miller Reveals Yamaha Is Missing Up to 20 Horsepower

Jack Miller says Yamaha is still missing between 15 and 20 horsepower compared with its rivals, despite finishing fifth in German MotoGP Practice.

The Pramac rider ended the session 0.447 seconds behind Marc Marquez. Miller was the leading Yamaha and finished 10 positions ahead of the rest of the manufacturer’s line-up on Friday at the Sachsenring.

Miller believes the Sachsenring layout helps disguise Yamaha’s main weakness because the circuit places less emphasis on outright engine power. He said the constant throttle control around the lap and improved grip compared with last year’s motorcycle allowed him to exploit the package more effectively.

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“I feel good on the pace. I felt good alone. It’s nice to be at a track where we’re not relying on horsepower,” Miller said.

He explained that the power deficit forces Yamaha riders to brake later and accelerate earlier than their rivals. That approach places additional stress on the chassis and tyres because the rider must carry more corner speed to compensate for the loss on acceleration and the straights.

“The thing all year has been we need more horsepower. We’re missing between 15 and 20 horsepower compared to the others, minimum. Then the bike will behave like a completely different motorcycle,” he said.

Miller added that rider quality alone cannot overcome a fundamentally uncompetitive technical package. He pointed to Marc Marquez’s final years with Honda and Valentino Rossi’s period with Ducati as examples of leading riders being restricted by the machinery available to them.

Fifth place on Friday provided a timely boost for Miller, but the performance also underlined how the Sachsenring suits Yamaha better than circuits with heavier acceleration and top-speed demands. The next challenge will be maintaining that position when qualifying and the races increase the load on the tyres and chassis.