MotoGP™: An up and down Friday for Miller at The Island
Friday, 14 October 2022
The Townsville racer only managed P13 during the second practice.
Jack Miller faces a challenge to qualify in the top 10 for this weekend’s Animoca Brands Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix 2022 after the second Practice session at the Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit on Friday.
The Townsville racer, fresh from a win and a second place in the last two MotoGP™ events, could only make it to 13th place in the second session, which places him in the first Qualifying group on Saturday – unless he can improve his position in the tricky Saturday morning third Practice session.
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Despite Miller's low position in the afternoon session, the Ducati rider had a very promising opening practice with the second-fastest time at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit. The 27-year-old lapping just 0.091s behind Frenchman Johann Zarco on the Pramac Ducati.
Second fastest was the impressive MotoGP™ rookie Marco Bezzecchi on the Mooney VR46 Ducati, ahead of the fastest Honda. But it was not the Repsol machine of Marc Marquez, rather that of his teammate Pol Espargaro.
World Championship points leader Fabio Quartararo was fourth fastest just ahead of the fastest of the Aprilias, in this case Phillip Island favourite Maverick Viñales, who was just 0.09s ahead of his teammate Aleix Espargaro. The two Italian bikes had another Honda, that of Marquez, in between them in sixth place.
Pecco Bagnaia took eighth place on the Ducati Corse entry ahead of his incoming 2023 teammates Enea Bastianini and Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Ducati).
Saturday’s MotoGP™ action is due to start at 9:55 am with the third Practice session, with the first of the two Qualifying sessions due to start at 2:10 pm.
