Uncertain Australia MotoGP forecast no issue for Miller: ‘The less dry track time the better’
“Our speed is generally there from the get go”
KTM’s Jack Miller is not fazed by the uncertain weather forecast for this weekend’s MotoGP Australian Grand Prix as “the least amount of dry track time, the better for me”.
The four-time grand prix winner returns to his home Phillip Island circuit seeking a strong end to his time with KTM ahead of his Yamaha switch with Pramac in 2025.
A podium finisher at Phillip Island in 2019 in the MotoGP class, Miller’s homecoming in 2024 has been preceded by a tough run of results on the RC16 as he battles a continual chatter problem.
With uncertain weather forecasts set to affect Friday and Saturday’s running at Phillip Island, Miller sees this as only a positive for him as he has typically struggled this year to advance on a good start to race weekends.
“As we’ve seen many a years here at the island, it’s one of those tracks where even if you are having some slight issues you can mask it a little bit around here,” he said.
“So, fingers crossed we can get away to a solid weekend.
“Looks like the weather conditions are going to be iffy throughout at least Friday and Saturday.
“So, the least amount of dry track time the better for me. I feel like we sort of hit the ground running and then we’ve been struggling throughout the season to make progress from basically FP1.
“So, I feel like the least amount of dry track time will help because our speed is generally there from the get go.
“It’s just how to make those micro improvements over the weekend.”
KTM hopes for a top result in Australia will rest on Pedro Acosta’s shoulders, after he claimed a maiden MotoGP pole last time out in Japan and was in victory contention in both races before crashing.
But Miller also praised the job his team-mate Brad Binder has been doing of late in riding around the RC16’s limitations.
“He’s done a fantastic job,” Miller said of Acosta.
“It’s easy to forget that he’s a rookie because he’s riding like a seasoned veteran.
“Obviously leading the charge for us and Brad is doing a fantastic job as well bringing home the results.
“So, I mean the whole package, there’s no hiding the fact I’ve had my issues.
“But I think the boys are doing a fantastic job being able to ride around it and still put it where it needs to be on a Saturday afternoon and on Sunday.”
