Yamaha in crisis: what Andrea Locatelli hopes to gain from Jack Miller

At Yamaha, attention is increasingly turning to the 2027 season. The current year has been disappointing so far for the Japanese manufacturer. Yamaha is still waiting for its first podium finish of the season, and Andrea Locatelli, currently twelfth in the World Championship, is the highest-placed R1 rider.

Next year, the Italian will have a high-profile new team-mate. After many years in MotoGP, Jack Miller is leaving to join the Yamaha works team in the World Superbike Championship.

Locatelli already knows the Australian very well. In recent years, the pair have lined up together for the Yamaha works team at the Suzuka 8 Hours. The 29-year-old was already able to get a first impression of his future team-mate’s working style there.

Jack Miller und Andrea Locatelli kennen sich von den 8h von Suzuka

Foto: Yamaha

“We can be good team-mates,” Locatelli is convinced. “He’s very well-liked and brings a wealth of experience from MotoGP. He’s one of those riders who really loves riding. I think Jack is going to have a lot of fun in this paddock.”

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Locatelli familiar with Miller’s approach

For Locatelli, Miller’s approach to developing a motorbike is particularly interesting. “We’ve already worked together at Suzuka. That’s why I know him already. I know how hard he pushes to improve.”

That’s exactly what Yamaha could do with, given its current difficulties. Locatelli hopes that both riders will pull in the same direction when it comes to developing the R1. “It should be a positive thing if we’re both pushing in the same direction to get the motorbike up to top level. Because that’s always our goal,” emphasised the Italian in Cremona.

For Miller, however, the switch will still be a major adjustment. After his long Grand Prix career, he’ll have to get used to a Superbike for the first time. At the same time, a major shake-up is on the horizon in 2027 with the switch from Pirelli to Michelin. This is precisely where Miller’s long-standing MotoGP experience with Michelin could prove valuable. “Of course, he still has to adapt to the bike. But he’s already familiar with the tyres,” Locatelli pointed out.

Locatelli sees this as an interesting combination: “Ultimately, my experience with the R1 and his experience from MotoGP should help us both to improve together.”

Yamaha yet to secure a podium finish in the 2027 season

The current season shows that improvements are urgently needed. Yamaha has yet to celebrate a podium finish. Although Locatelli leads the internal standings, he is currently only 12th in the World Championship.

Despite the difficult situation, he remains committed to the path they have chosen. “I believe in Yamaha and in the work we are doing together,” the Italian assured. “I am motivated to keep getting stronger so that we can achieve the best possible results, something we have already managed in the past.”

Andrea Locatelli erlebt eine durchwachsene Saison

Foto: Gold & Goose

Locatelli does not sugar-coat the fact that the current season has fallen short of expectations. “This season has been difficult for all of us.” The problems are now to be analysed in detail. “At the same time, we need to look both forwards and backwards and analyse everything in order to improve.”

From 2027, Miller is set to help with this. Locatelli knows the Yamaha R1 like hardly any other rider, whilst the Australian brings experience from various MotoGP projects with Honda, Ducati, KTM and Yamaha.

It is precisely this combination that Locatelli hopes will provide fresh impetus. Following what has been a difficult season so far, Miller’s arrival could therefore be far more than just a change of rider: Yamaha is gaining an experienced MotoGP rider, whose feedback is also set to benefit the further development of the R1.