MotoGP Practice: Miller Admits Frustration After Cancelled Lap Leaves Him in Q1

The San Marino Grand Prix practice sessions at Misano delivered plenty of drama, and one of the riders feeling the pressure was Jack Miller, who now rides for Yamaha in the 2025 MotoGP season. Despite showing promising pace, the Australian ended the day in P16, leaving him stuck in Q1 after his best lap was cancelled due to track limits. For Miller, who has been working hard to adapt his aggressive style to Yamaha’s smoother M1 machine, Friday was a day of mixed emotions.

Miller admitted frustration after losing the lap that could have placed him closer to the top 10. “It has been a decent Friday. The pace is there, but I just couldn’t put it all together at the end. My ideal lap is a 31.0, my best lap—which got cancelled—was a 31.2, and the one that counted was 31.5. We are about half a second off where we should be,” the Australian explained. His words reflected both confidence in Yamaha’s progress and disappointment at missing a crucial opportunity.

Yamaha’s Battle at Misano

The Misano circuit has historically been a tricky venue for Yamaha. The layout demands strong acceleration out of tight corners and stability on the brakes, two areas where the Yamaha M1 has sometimes struggled against Ducati and Aprilia. For Miller, however, the challenge is also personal, as he continues to adapt his trademark aggressive style—built on late braking and heavy corner entries—to Yamaha’s more fluid, corner-speed-focused character.

Despite those challenges, Miller pointed out that improvements were made during practice. “We managed to make improvements in a few areas of the track, and the pace felt pretty decent during the practice session. Unfortunately, I’m in Q1 at the moment, so let’s see what tomorrow brings. We need to try to be better than we are now,” he said. His comments underlined Yamaha’s gradual steps forward while also acknowledging that more work is needed if they are to consistently challenge the front runners.’

The Importance of Qualifying

Qualifying has always been one of the most decisive aspects of MotoGP, and in 2025 that reality is sharper than ever. With grid positions playing such a big role in Sunday’s race outcomes, being forced into Q1 is a serious setback. Riders in Q1 not only face the pressure of limited laps to deliver, but they also need to battle through a highly competitive group where even small mistakes can cost dearly.

For Miller, the cancelled lap hurt more because it showed he had the raw speed to compete. His 1’31.2 lap would have put him much closer to the automatic Q2 cut-off, but the track limits penalty stripped it away. The Australian is no stranger to such frustrations, having had several strong laps nullified by the increasingly strict limits in recent seasons. Now, he must focus on executing a clean and fast run in Q1 if he wants to secure a place among the front four rows.

Miller’s Yamaha Journey in 2025

Miller’s move to Yamaha for the 2025 season was one of the most talked-about transfers in MotoGP. After successful but sometimes inconsistent stints with Ducati and KTM, he joined the Japanese factory as part of their restructuring plan to return to the top. Yamaha had struggled in the seasons before, with limited results and a lack of wins compared to their dominant years. Bringing in a rider like Miller, known for his racecraft, aggressiveness, and ability to adapt, was seen as a bold but necessary decision.

So far, Miller’s Yamaha journey has been a mix of progress and growing pains. On one hand, his experience and feedback have helped the team make improvements in several areas, including acceleration and tire management. On the other hand, adapting to a machine that demands smoother inputs has sometimes blunted his natural strengths. Yet, as Misano showed, Miller is capable of extracting competitive pace, and the main challenge remains putting all the pieces together in qualifying and race conditions.

The Pressure of Delivering for Yamaha

Yamaha’s expectations for 2025 are high. With Fabio Quartararo leading the factory team and Miller bringing additional experience, the Japanese manufacturer hopes to return to the consistent podium contention that made them title challengers just a few years ago. Misano is a key test, not just because of its technical layout but also because it serves as a benchmark for progress after mid-season updates.

For Miller, the pressure is clear. Being a part of Yamaha’s revival project means his performances are under constant scrutiny, and every session is analyzed to see whether the M1 is improving. A cancelled lap and a P16 result may look disappointing on paper, but the underlying lap times suggest that the potential is there. If he can unlock it in Q1 and carry it into Q2, the weekend could still turn around in dramatic fashion.

Looking Ahead to Saturday

Saturday will be critical for Miller. His ability to deliver in Q1 could decide whether he fights for a podium on Sunday or battles further back in the pack. The Yamaha rider knows that clean laps, tire choice, and precise execution will be key. With Misano often producing chaotic qualifying sessions, there is always the chance for surprises, and Miller has proven in the past that he can deliver under pressure.

Yamaha’s engineers will likely focus on further fine-tuning corner exits and stability under braking overnight, giving Miller a more stable platform to push. If those adjustments pay off, there’s every chance that the Australian could make a late surge into the top 10.

Conclusion

The San Marino Grand Prix practice sessions may have left Jack Miller frustrated, but they also showed glimpses of Yamaha’s potential. A cancelled lap denied him a chance to go straight into Q2, yet his comments suggest confidence in the M1’s pace. With Saturday’s qualifying session looming, Miller faces the challenge of converting his raw speed into results.

For Yamaha, his journey is part of a broader rebuilding effort, and every lap is another step toward regaining their former glory. Whether Miller can turn his Misano weekend around will depend on his ability to adapt, execute, and deliver when it matters most.