A mixed day for Aussies at Phillip Island
Sunday, 16 October 2022
Miller was philosophical after the race.
The Australian riders in the Animoca Brands Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix 2022 did not get to end their home race in the manner they wanted, but both have vowed to keep pushing to the limit.
Jack Miller was running in the lead group and shadowing teammate Pecco Bagnaia when he was rudely clattered out of the race by LCR Honda rider Alex Marquez.
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Miller was philosophical after the race.
“I have had better Sundays, that's for certain. But I've hard worse too,” he said.
“I got a decent start, plugged my way through but I understood he [Bagnaia] wanted to hold station. So I swapped the [fuel] map and let the race kind of come to me.
“I was saving a bit through the last corner and a bit through [Turn] 3. [Marco] Bezzecchi came past me, we got to Turn 4 and was about to release the brake and get on the gas and a front wheel gets me in the spine. I was pretty winded, but I'm all right.”
Miller said that he appreciated the fact that Marquez put his hand up and admitted blame and came to him at once to apologise to him and the Ducati Corse team.
“What is there to be hard feelings about? We are all trying to do our best. He might have got a little bit carried away. I think he is as devastated as I am.”
Miller said that he was delighted with the reception that he and his fellow rivals got from the Australian crowd after three years away from Phillip Island.
“First home Grand Prix after three years. It's not the way I wanted to finish it.”
Tech3 KTM star Remy Gardner fought a great battle for the final point in the race, and finished 15th after running higher during the early part of the race.
“It was fun. It was the first time I've actually seen first position after the first couple of laps of the race,” said the 2021 Moto2 world champion.
“It was a bit hectic. For the first five laps I was making positions, there was a point where I was trying to save the rear tyre. I think I was about P10, which was pretty cool to see!
“I was going forward and making positions up. But about [lap] 15 or 16, the rear tyre really dropped for us, it just wasn't driving. We dropped a bunch of positions and a bunch of time because of that.”
Had a big fight with Aprilia's Maverick Vinales and Tech3 teammate Raul Fernandez for the final point.
“I didn't stop until I saw the chequered flag. I did a pretty sick old burnout at Jack's corner, it was 389 kilometres an hour on the rear tyre!”
Miller will be back at Phillip Island next year, but on a Red Bull KTM, while Gardner will also return but in the World Superbike Championship, in which he will race for Yamaha.
