MotoGP: Jack Miller Explains Blistering Pace During The Japanese GP

Saajan Jogia | Oct 8, 2024

Apr 13, 2024; Austin, TX, USA; Jack Miller (43) of Australia and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rides during the qualifying session for the MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas at Circuit of The Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Jack Miller explained his brilliant recovery from the 14th position to the 5th spot in the Japanese Grand Prix, revealing his blistering pace and the notion that he was in the "right spot at the right time."

The amazing Motegi MotoGP finish marks a huge turnaround for Miller when compared to the previous weekend's Indonesian Grand Prix at Mandalika, where he crashed in the opening lap and took out three other riders in the process.

The Australian rider executed a flawless Grand Prix, as he passed Marc Marquez and Enea Bastianini under braking toward the end of the race to claim the fifth spot, while his teammate Brad Binder finished in sixth place. Speaking on the spectacular recovery, Miller told the media:

“I can generally get away well and pick my lines pretty good on the first lap - obviously last week not included because I managed to mess that up!

“But I was happy to get a decent jump and to pass nearly ten blokes on the first lap was nice.

“I was in the right spot at the right time to be honest. I was just was able to hold the inside when there was a bit of chaos on the outside. Just roll the kerb, keep it tight and stay out of drama.

“It was fun to be there. Going down the back straight when I passed Marc and Enea into Turn 11, I thought ‘Oh shit, I’m in the top five here.

“But the anchor soon got thrown out and the boys started coming back past me pretty fast.”

Miller held his position in the top six until lap 6 of 24 when Franco Morbidelli and Marco Bezzecchi overtook him. By the halfway point, Fabio Di Giannantonio also passed him, dropping Miller to eighth place. At this stage, he was hoping the light drizzle would intensify, giving him a chance to regain position. He added:

“I was hoping and praying it was going to come down a little bit more, because those boys [ahead] had eked out a fair bit by that point, but I could still see them.

“But it was only the slightest of drizzle, nothing like Moto2 had.”

Miller added that like many riders, he endured challenges with the rear tire's grip. He said:

“It was gnarly trying to get the thing off the corners at the end there, trying to use all the paint you can because it’s the only place that it seemed to find grip.

“We’re struggling a bit with mid-corner and corner exit speed. The front is stable and it stayed solid all race but we still have some work to do.

“This hard-braking track was good for us. We’ll come back next week and give it a crack at the Island and see how it goes there.”