Jack Miller on the Pace in Texas MotoGP™
Saturday, 9 April 2022
Aussie shines with P2 in Practice.
Jack Miller has made a great start to his MotoGP™ weekend, setting the second-best time in the second practice session for this weekend's round at the Circuit of the Americas near Austin, Texas.
The Townsville racer sped around the track in 2m02.789s, a quarter-second slower than French star Johann Zarco. The two Ducati riders dominated the times on the track, which has undergone extensive resurfacing since the MotoGP™ bikes raced there six months ago.
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“The weekend is off to a good start,” Miller said, “the bike is working well.
“From the start, the feeling with my Desmosedici has been good, and the team is doing a great job, which has allowed me to improve between the two sessions. So I'm happy and confident that I can do well in the next two days here in America”
Zarco, who had an array of new parts on his Ducati GP22, was happy.
“I know here is it so hard to go fast and to find a base, so I was struggling – not too slow, but struggling anyway,” he smiled.
“The new asphalt is helping a lot, the first sector is less bumpy. Turn 10, last year was so difficult, this year you can find the line.
“Let's see tomorrow the conditions, I will be ready to fight.”
World champion Fabio Quartararo was third fastest on his Yamaha, his lap in the final seconds of the afternoon session upsetting a Ducati sweep, with Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing Ducati) fourth fastest overall.
Alex Rins, who won at the track in 2019, was fifth fastest ahead of Marc Marquez, who returned to racing following an interruption while he was treated in Spain for double vision.
“It hasn't been easy,” said the Honda ace. “I woke up nervous about getting back on the bike."
Maverick Viñales was seventh fastest for Aprilia, ahead of Joan Mir (Suzuki), Pecco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin (both Ducatis).
Australian Remy Gardner was 20th fastest on his Tech3 KTM, three places ahead of teammate Raul Fernandez.
In Moto3™ Darwin racer Joel Kelso made a steady start in 21st place after FP2. Dennis Foggia and Andrea Migno made it an all-Italian 1-2 on their Hondas.
Qualifying is set for 5:10 am Sunday, with the race due to start 4:00 am Monday, both times AEST.
