Miller to cook up a storm this weekend at Phillip Island MotoGP! By Russell Colvin
Fresh off the plane from Japan, Australia’s very Jack Miller dropped into St.Kilda today ahead of this weekend’s Tissot Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix.
Miller, 19, now sits 25-points adrift off Alex Marquez after last weekend’s Japanese round at Motegi. Miller is stoked to be back home and told MCNews.com.au, “The home race couldn’t have come at a better time you know. After a couple of difficult races were we looked really, really strong it didn’t end the way that we would have liked it to. So it’s really good to be back in Australia and bring the title fight to Phillip Island in front of a home crowd.”
Being twenty-five points down on Marquez, you would have excused Miller for being a bit down, however the man from Townsville is still upbeat about his performance. “For sure being twenty-five points down is not what we wanted coming into this weekend, but that’s where we are, so will have to get the job done this weekend to try and turn the tables around.”
Miller has not regarded either Aragón or Motegi as favourite tracks, but with Phillip Island, Sepang and Valencia still to go, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider is looking forward to the final run home as they are some of his favourite tracks on the calendar. “Of course Phillip Island being my home Grand Prix is good, but a lot of Aussie fans make the trip over to Malaysia which is good, and Valencia is a great track to race on. So I couldn’t think of a better way to finish off the season” explained Miller.
Looking towards 2015, we all know that this likeable ‘kid’ is on the move next year and will make the huge jump up to the MotoGP class to saddle up on a LCR Honda. The big question is, has Miller even ridden a ‘bigger’ bike than a Moto3 bike? The answer to that is, well not really. The biggest road bike Miller has swung his leg over is a 250cc Moto2 bike!
“It’s a massive step were taking next year,” said Miller. “From a 58BHP machine to a 260BHP ‘fire breathing monster’ is a massive leap, but it’s going to be good! I’m super stoked to have the opportunity to ride for Honda and the LCR Honda. It’s going to be great thing for my career. But first things first, we have to finish off the year strong and try and win the Moto3 World Championship. It’s what I set out to do when I signed for the Red Bull KTM Ajo team. We were doing so well all year, and we have just seemed to hit a ‘rough patch’ as you sometimes do. What’s a title fight without a rough patch?”
Miller is quietly confident going into this weekend. Last year’s Australian round Miller finished in fifth position aboard the under-powered Caretta Technology – RTG FTR Honda machine. “To be honest to finish fifth here last year was pretty good, as we had no hope of finishing on the podium due to the lack of horsepower. Phillip Island is a really special track. There is always a big group at the front which makes it all about slipstreaming to the finish line. This year, I’m on a better bike, more horsepower, better team, so I think we can do it.”
So does Miller feel any of the pressure racing at his home grand prix?
“Nah… It’s like any other grand prix really. It’s a track, I’m still riding the same bike against the same people. I guess if anything, there is less pressure on me because the other riders are coming to my home ground.”
However there is no real ‘home track advantage’ as Miller does not have all that much experience of the 4.45km Phillip Island layout. “I’ve ridden at Phillip Island as much as the other tracks. So I don’t really have a home track advantage really. But to have the support of my home crowd is going to be great for sure! But to be on the island is so special. It’s so fast and following, you have to have big balls to ride around there quick!”
Jack Miller has certainly spiced the Moto3 class up a bit. So far the young gun has recorded seven podiums out of fifteen races which, including four wins. When Miller was asked did he expect his season to kick off so well at Qatar and Austin in Texas when he went back-to-back wins, Miller said; “For sure I expected to get some wins, but to be honest I didn’t expect to win the first race of the season. We were not on the bike for long, and we never stood on the podium before! So to get on the podium was the first step for sure. But to go out there and get the first win and then go back-to-back was awesome. I should have done three, but in Argentina we got a little bit screwed there. It is definitely what we worked hard for. When I signed up for the team last year, I said “my goal is to go and try and win a world championship.
“Effectively that is what we have been trying to do. It’s all well and good to say it, but to make it happen is another thing. We have been very fortunate to be in a position with such a great team and such a great bike. I not only want to win the championship for myself, but I want to win it for my team. The amount of hard work and sleepless nights the team have is incredible.”
Action for the 2014 Tissot Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix gets under way this Friday from 10am when Moto3 first practice gets underway.
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