Jack Miller’s warning to Ducati: “KTM second on the list, soon to be first”

Haunted for two and half months by his exit from the lead of the Valencia finale, KTM’s Jack Miller will continue his quest to become MotoGP’s first race winner on three different brands of bike in 2024.

After a mid-season lull, the Australian looked poised for a perfect end to his debut RC16 season, moving into the Valencia lead after team-mate Brad Binder ran wide.

But Miller lost the front of his orange machine at the same corner five laps later, ending his and KTM’s final chance of a 2023 Grand Prix victory.

“Well, I was ready to win in Valencia, but sadly we all know how that ended,” Miller said of his 2024 goals at today’s team launch.

“I've only been thinking about that for the last two and a half months!”

The Australian added: “We got close there on the last day, but it wasn’t to be.

“But definitely the way 2023 sort-of ended left me so hungry over this winter, eager to come back and achieve the goal I set last year: to become the first to win on three [bikes] and the third [rider to win] on a KTM.”

KTM motorsports director Pit Beirer believes, after finishing second best to Ducati in the riders and constructors' standings last season, the factory now has everything in place to push for world championship glory.

“I think they've [KTM] has done a fantastic job in the last couple of years, especially last year,” said Miller, who joined the team as a double race winner at Ducati.

“We only have to look back 24 months ago to where the position of the bike was and so on. And [now] to have it as one of the most wanted bikes on the grid… I think if you had your fairy godmother and a wish, if you weren't able to get the red bike, I'm pretty sure [KTM] would be the second on the list. And soon it’ll be the first.

“They've done a fantastic job in such a short amount of time in terms of their MotoGP history. If you look at the red bikes, between 2007 and 2022, those two championships, it's a long time. And if you look at the history of KTM, their first full season was [2017], so where they are in such a short amount of time is amazing.

“I think it'll just continue to get better. Brad had an amazing year last year and we had some great results from all of us on our days, whether it be myself, Brad or Augusto. And even Pol.

“We were able to bring home second in the constructors’ title against a brand that's got eight bikes on the grid and we only have four. So we did fantastic there and I think this year we do even better. Myself personally for sure!"

Quizzed about the new Red Bull KTM livery looking identical to last season, Miller quipped: "It looked good last year, so why not? 

"My boots and helmet have changed a little bit though. I just wanted to switch it up a little bit and picking the year is a little bit easier! 

"Many times in my career I've kind of had the same [looking] bikes, whether it be Marc VDS, Pramac and even [factory] Ducati."

Miller was 14th but within 1.2s of former Ducati team-mate and reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia at the recent Sepang test. The final pre-season test takes place in Qatar on February 19-20.

"The Sepang test went well, happy with the bike and keen to get back on it again. I think we're all at the stage now where we're pretty keen to go racing."

The new season starts in Qatar on March 8-10.