Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP faces a difficult Sprint in changing conditions
Jack Miller’s Sprint ended prematurely after an early pit stop in anticipation of rain, while Augusto Fernandez finished 14th, gaining further valuable experience with the team.
GRAND PRIX OF MALAYSIA
SPRINT
Sepang (Malaysia), 31st October 2026
14th
AUGUSTO FERNANDEZ +14,878 / 10 LAPS
DNF
JACK MILLER 2/10 LAPS
Changing weather conditions made for a demanding Sprint at the Malaysian Grand Prix, with the threat of rain forcing teams and riders to make crucial decisions early in the race. While some riders chose to remain on slick tyres until the finish, others opted to pit for wet-weather tyres as rain began to fall in parts of the circuit.
Jack Miller decided to return to the pits as soon as the white flag was exposed, after encountering an area of heavier rain on track. However, the team was still preparing his second bike for wet conditions, and it was not yet ready when he arrived. With the timing of the stop proving decisive, the Australian was unable to continue the Sprint. It was a frustrating outcome in a race where changing conditions left little room for error and the decision to take a risk did not deliver the result he had hoped for.
Augusto Fernandez, meanwhile, chose to remain on slick tyres and crossed the finish line in 14th position. After also completing the Australian Sprint last weekend, the Spaniard continues to build experience with Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP and adapt to the demands of racing in the premier class. Every session and race distance provides valuable opportunities to develop his rhythm and confidence as he continues to work with the team.
Attention now turns to Sunday's Grand Prix, which will present a further test, particularly in the demanding heat and humidity of Sepang. For Fernandez, the priority will be to manage the race carefully, build on the experience gained so far and reach the finish, while the team will continue working to make the most of the opportunities the Malaysian weekend offers.
GINO BORSOI Team Director, Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP
It’s a shame about the confusion surrounding Jack’s pit stop. We were preparing the second bike for wet conditions, and it would have been ready one lap later. Jack saw an area of the circuit where the rain was particularly heavy and decided to come in as quickly as possible to change bikes. Unfortunately, we weren’t quite ready when he arrived. There was perhaps a little too much eagerness to take a risk on Jack’s side, while we could also have been slightly quicker in preparing the bike, although there wasn’t much more we could have done. It’s frustrating because the timing was crucial, and the outcome was not what any of us wanted.
Augusto did a very good job to finish a difficult Sprint in 14th position. It’s another important experience for him as he continues to adapt to racing in MotoGP. Tomorrow will be a different challenge, especially with the heat and humidity and the physical demands of the full Grand Prix distance. Given his current level of race preparation, the priority will be to manage the race carefully, avoid unnecessary risks and finish in the best possible way.
AUGUSTO FERNANDEZ Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP Rider
It was a crazy Sprint! The main goal was simply to get through the race. At the beginning, I was very close to Fabio and Alex Rins, and I used them as a reference because I’m trying to get closer to them in terms of pace and overall performance. I decided to stay with them for a while and see what they would do as well, because I wanted to complete the whole race alongside them.
It had been a while since I last rode the MotoGP bike in these conditions, especially with the Michelin tyres. From our testing here, we know that when it rains like this, it takes a long time for the tyres to become fully wet, so they can maintain a good level of grip. It took me two or three laps to understand that, but then I was able to push again, and my pace wasn’t bad. I finished four seconds behind Fabio and two seconds behind Alex, so that’s not too bad. It’s progress, and I’m happy with that. Let’s see what we can do tomorrow.
JACK MILLER Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP Rider
It was on me. I saw raindrops at Turns 5 and 6, then again at Turns 7 and 8 and Turns 9 and 10. Those are usually the first areas to get wet when the rain comes from that direction, and the drops here are pretty big. I checked the radar, which was showing rain arriving later, but when I saw those drops, I thought it was coming earlier than expected. I believed the next lap would be wet, so I decided to come in.
We were running 17th or 18th, and the chances of scoring points here in Malaysia were looking slim, so I felt it was worth taking a gamble. In my mind, the timing was right, and I genuinely thought we had a chance to make something happen with that decision. Unfortunately, the bike wasn’t ready when I arrived. I’d spoken with the team before the race about having the second bike prepared, but we clearly had different understandings of the timing. I thought it would be ready immediately, while the team understood that they had another four or five laps. It was a miscommunication, and by the time I realised the tyres hadn’t even been changed, I knew the race was over.
I apologised for my reaction afterwards. When you arrive in the pit lane, you’re still in the race, and in my mind, I wouldn’t have made that decision unless I believed it was the right one. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out, but given our position and the conditions I was seeing on track, I thought it was worth a shot.
Team Director, Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP
Augusto did a very good job to finish a difficult Sprint in 14th position. It’s another important experience for him as he continues to adapt to racing in MotoGP. Tomorrow will be a different challenge, especially with the heat and humidity and the physical demands of the full Grand Prix distance. Given his current level of race preparation, the priority will be to manage the race carefully, avoid unnecessary risks and finish in the best possible way.