Miller's miracle escape: 'I let go before I hit the wall'
Jack Miller miraculously walked away from a huge accident in final practice for the French MotoGP.
The Marc VDS Honda rider saved a near fall from his RC213V on the exit of the ultra-fast turn 1-2 right hander, but was spent spearing off-track in the process.
The young Australian let go moments before slamming into the trackside barrier, after which he and his machine were launch into the air.
Chute monumentale et miracle pour Miller au GP de France #MotoGP pic.twitter.com/60rqFrO2qu-- Eurosport.fr (@Eurosport_FR) May 20, 2017
After a medical check a shaken Miller took his place in Q2 on his spare bike despite the discomfort of football-size swelling on his right knee and bruised right hand.
Among those shocked by the accident was Miller's friend Cal Crutchlow and factory Ducati star Andrea Dovizioso:
"I was right behind him," said Crutchlow. "I stopped at the side of the track to make sure he was moving. As you know, Jack's a big friend of mine, to see something like that, it was not nice.
"He didn't do that much wrong, that's for sure. He didn't grab a load of brake or anything like that. What he did do well, he did well to save the crash because he could have gone off on the right and he could have released the brake and went straight. The problem is, there's a wall there.
"F**king hell that was fast, honestly. It's not nice to see that at all, but I'm glad he got back up. He's got some balls, because going back out, straight away basically."
"Wow. So scary," commented Dovizioso. "It's one of the most difficult crashes and you can't control when you lose the front in the fast corners, going the opposite way, it was really reactive to pick up the bike again. So dangerous.
"But the problem is track safety everywhere doesn't exist unfortunately. And the wall was there. He was very, very, very lucky. For sure we will speak in the safety commission, but to move the wall there is very difficult.
"Every safety commission we try to improve and we speak about the details. But sometimes it's not impossible.
"From when Le Mans changed at Turn 1 there was always this problem. Now it can be easier, it can happen, but also in the past this can happen and we spoke about this a few years ago. But it's very difficult to manage."
Jack Miller was incredibly lucky. He saved a near fall and was sent veering straight into a wall. #FrenchGP #MotoGP FP4 pic.twitter.com/EdFUcVoCdC-- Crash MotoGP (@crash_motogp) May 20, 2017
"In Q2 I went quicker on my first run, but my hand was not perfect after the crash and I struggled to stop the bike on the brakes in the final corner and touched the kerb," Miller said.
"A shame but I'll be ready for the race after I get some ice on my hand and knee to get the swelling down."
Team manager Michael Bartholemy added: "After the crash in FP4 I wasn't sure that Jack would be able to get back on the bike for qualifying. But after a medical check he went out showed how tough he is and how much he wanted to be on the grid. I know he is disappointed to be 11th on the fourth row but I am happy for this result after his big crash."
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
