MotoGP: KTM Rider's Qualifying And Sprint Race Struck By Unusual Mishaps

Saajan Jogia | 14 Hours Ago

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

KTM MotoGP rider Jack Miller was unfortunate to be struck by wildlife on two separate occasions on Saturday at the Phillip Island Circuit, which eventually ended in a crash during the sprint race.

The Australian Grand Prix is infamous for its wildlife incidents, with the latest example being Miller, who was struck during both sessions, ending any hopes of pushing to the limit for the sprint at his home race.

During Saturday morning's first qualifying session, Miller's RC16 suffered damage when he struck a rabbit, preventing him from advancing beyond 16th place. Later in the sprint race, his bad luck continued as he hit a seagull on the opening lap at Turn 1, leaving a gaping hole on the right side of his front fairing. Speaking about the clash with the rabbit, Miller told the media:

"I did my first lap on the wet[-tyred bike], just to have one on the boards. And when I came in, I jumped on the slick bike and went back out, I just wanted to have one on the board in case it sort of pissed down or whatever.

"Started first flying lap, as I came through out of 6-7, there was a dry line about this big through [Turn 8] Hayshed, and as I saw the change of direction, I saw it coming.

"I thought 'surely it can't be that stupid' but it was. Ran straight under the front tyre. Had a bit of a moment there. Managed to smash everything on its way through."

Miller clarified that the rabbit incident wasn't the reason he failed to advance in qualifying, instead pointing to the challenge of keeping his bike on the dry line through the corners.

Unfortunately, the ordeal didn’t end there. After the bird hit in the sprint race, the carcass became lodged between the brake lever and the fairing, disrupting the bike's aerodynamics for the remainder of the race. Explaining the difficult encounter, he added:

"Wasn't ideal.

"[It] lodged itself, blew the airbox open, blew open the whole front right-hand side of the bike. Yeah.

"Was hanging around there.

"Second lap, went into Turn 1, obviously with all the buffering from the bikes around me, the seagull was then flapping. It kept getting its head jammed in between the brake lever and the handlebar, so I wasn't able to pull the lever. So that was unreal."

At Turn 1, Miller lost a position to Trackhouse Aprilia's Raul Fernandez. The Australian rider then tried to dislodge the bird's carcass from the bike manually, but failing to do so prompted him to continue the race. Unfortunately, Miller crashed shortly after but was unable to determine the cause of it.