KTM’s brutally honest verdict on Jack Miller: “He has to make big decisions”

Jack Miller has been told to forget about the speculation over his MotoGP future and to bring a new “mental approach” this season by the KTM boss.

Francesco Guidotti has challenged Miller but also vowed to support him in the final year of his KTM contract.

The popular Australian fought off speculation last season that he would be replaced by Pedro Acosta, but is now entering crunch time with every manufacturer scouring the market ahead of a busy silly season.

Team manager Guidotti said about the rumours over Miller’s KTM seat: “I don’t know if he really likes it or not.

“Sometimes it’s difficult to understand what he has in his mind.

“He’s in a phase of life where he has to make a big decision. It’s in his hands.

“He’s almost 30. For a rider he’s still pretty young if he wants to continue at a certain level.

“But, as he said, the youngers are coming very quickly.

“He needs to behave this year, perhaps as he’s never done before.

“He is the best one, in team effort. He’s the master. He’s perfect with the team and with his teammate.

“When you reach a level, it’s a matter of mental approach.

“He must be really brave, really consistent, really smart to use the correct mental approach this season.

“The speculation about the riders market? It has to be forgotten.

“You never know what to expect from Jack.

“He’s able to do everything, and nothing, at the same time!

“Everything is in his hands. We will try to support him in every way possible.

“Jack is Jack… there are few words to add…”

Last season, Miller’s first since swapping Ducati for KTM, he finished 11th in the MotoGP standings.

He crashed out of the lead in the season-finale at Valencia to compound a disappointing year.

But meanwhile his teammate Brad Binder soared into fourth, the highest-placed non-Ducati.

And Binder, notoriously not a fan of testing, has been praised by Guidotti for bringing a new attitude to Sepang this year.

“We improved compared to last year,” Guidotti said.

“The approach of Brad is different to before.

“Every time you set a limit… last year he was fourth, the best result in MotoGP for him, he wants to take a step ahead.

“You always have to change something.

“The important thing is the combo. The riders’ feeling of the bike that we supply.

“We have to find the best combo to constantly fight in the top three.”

Guidotti analysed the changes Binder must make to improve upon finishing fourth: “Also, the mental approach and the self-confidence he can have in the season.

“He trusts the bike more, he trusts the people more, and of course he must trust himself more.

“It’s more than speed. He showed us, during his approach at the test, it was different. More mature.”

KTM, who have ambitious plans to expand upon their four-bike presence on the grid, have also welcomed the prodigious Pedro Acosta into the premier class with Tech3 GASGAS.

They could be the manufacturer to most closely combat Ducati this year.

Guidotti reflected on their Sepang test: “Ten days of very intense days of testing.

“It’s always difficult to say. We know, more or less, where we are.

“It’s always difficult to know where the contenders are.

“Once back on track, you can see the level.

“We moved forward but the contenders looked like they did not rest a lot during the winter.

“We have to take it day by day, and race by pace. This is the best way to face a championship of 21 races.

“There is always a big motivation when we start, and a bigger motivation when we’re on the way.

“You choose this job so it is not a big sacrifice. It’s a huge motivation. We have a target set, we’re doing everything possible to catch it.

“Everything is possible. We didn’t set a low target.

“We want to look at the top target, and try to get it. It will be more difficult this year.

“We say the same every year. The level of MotoGP is getting crazy every year.

“The level of riders, the technology, the effort of the manufacturers…

“We will try. We will fight for it. But we are not alone.

“We can do something better than last year.”