Persistently showing he could mix it with the frontrunners, his one win and five podiums underlined his class in a year where his Ducati Lenovo teammate, Francesco Bagnaia, secured the championship. Moreover, his 12 top six finishes, 10 top five qualifying results and the fact he still did so well despite DNF’ing four races accentuates what a solid crusade he enjoyed.

While Miller, who finished fourth in MotoGP in 2021 and had two wins that term, didn’t replicate these feats in 2022, it was interesting to hear him state he feels this year was actually his best season in the elite class.

“I finished fourth last year in the championship and fifth this time, but this has probably been my strongest season,” he insisted after the finale at Valencia. “Most podiums I’ve ever had, and definitely my best MotoGP win in Japan. Especially after the Catalunya test [in June] the results have been really strong, apart from the mistakes here and at Misano and then getting cleaned out at Phillip Island. Apart from those ones, it’s been pretty solid and I’m really happy with how the second half finished off for me, even if we couldn’t sign it off how I wanted to here.”

Consistently fast and handling the pressure and weight of expectation that inherently comes with riding for factory Ducati, the #43 deserves immense credit for doing so admirably despite the relentless speculation surrounding his future with the Bologna marque that followed him for large swathes of the season. Forced to endure so much chat about him being replaced for 2023 and with his every move under the microscope, the charismatic Aussie handled the situation with aplomb, as he rarely got flustered and instead let his riding do most of the talking.

There was, however, the odd instance where the frustration got the better of him, with him at one point taking a pop at Enea Bastianini, who was later confirmed as the man who’ll replace him in 2023, earlier in the campaign. “Taking photos and celebrating after one podium? I don’t think that means anything,” Miller asserted.

“I’ve been working with these people for five years. When the results come, they come. I do the best I can for the company. I am a liked person, people like me a lot. I sell a lot more motorcycles than other people do. And that’s a big thing in this business. So, for sure, I have a lot of factors coming in my way.”

Seeing as Miller was such an exceptional teammate to Bagnaia, who’s preference was clearly for him to stay, it’ll be interesting keeping an eye on the dynamics with two Italians under the coveted factory Ducati awning next year. “He‘s been criticised too much lately, and I’m very happy for him too,” Bagnaia told Sky Sport Italia when asked about Miller.

“Keep him and touch nothing, now that there is this perfect harmony? I feel very, very good with him; we also work a lot together, and I don‘t think we can do it with other riders. In addition, I think he is very strong as a rider. On this track he helped me a lot; I improved too by looking at his data. I think it‘s a difficult balance to repeat if a new rider comes along.”

After all the rumours and innuendo, Miller ultimately announced he’d be joining Red Bull KTM Factory Racing in 2023, where he’ll join forces with Brad Binder, in a move that also sees him reunite with former Pramac boss Francesco Guidotti.

While his Ducati departure was tinged with sadness, Miller leaves having forged fantastic relationships with the team and the brand, plus displayed what a terrific team member and what a positive person he is to be around.

“Having Jack alongside Brad in our team means we have another strong asset. I know him well, I know how he likes to work and what he can bring to the box,” Guidotti noted. “I believe his character and the way he will ride and push our KTM RC16 will help us a lot at this stage of our project. Like Brad, Jack is a pure racer: he will find the limits and the maximum of any condition and any package and still go for it to get the result and that is quite a rare quality. The next two seasons will be exciting!”

Joining on a two-year deal following a five-year spell with Ducati, seeing how he fares on the Austrian bike will be fascinating. Encouragingly, the early signs were positive after his first test on the RC16, with him commenting that he adapted more smoothly than expected, which bodes well for the future, especially considering the issues that plagued the KTM riders last term.

Set for another test in February next year, getting further time on the bike will be crucial as he looks to perform even better and build on his excellent 2021 and 2022 campaigns. All things considered, 2022 was definitely a year to remember for the 27-year-old, where he yet again proved he has what it takes to win races and mix it with the best of them in the elite division while further cementing his status as one of the most populars riders on the grid due to his engaging, fun-loving and likeable personality.

The post Aussie Racing Abroad: Jack Miller’s 2022 Season appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

As he started from fourth place on the grid, from the second row, Jack Miller could not stay at the front after the start. The Australian rider dropped back into ninth place and tried to make up some ground when a technical problem forced him to retire after seven laps.

It was a difficult race also for teammate Francesco Bagnaia who dropped down into fourteenth place at the start after departing from the third row. Forced to make a comeback, towards the second half of the race, Pecco could recover up to tenth but, while trying to overtake Jorge Martín, he crashed, hitting the Spaniard and forcing both to retire.

Enea Bastianini triumphed in Qatar with the Desmosedici GP of the Gresini Racing team. Second in qualifying yesterday and fourth after the start, the Italian rider was able to take the lead with five laps to go, creating the gap behind him necessary to secure his first  MotoGP success.

Jack Miller (#43 Ducati Lenovo Team) – Retired
“Since the first lap, especially at the end of the straight coming out of the last corner, the bike wasn’t going at full power: I was very slow, and the other riders easily overtook me. I tried to give my best and switch all the available maps to solve the problem, but it was not enough. It’s a shame because I felt really good today. I was satisfied with yesterday’s result in qualifying, and I knew I had a good pace. I was hoping to bring home some important first points…. Now we will try to move forward and think to the next race”.

Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – Retired
“I can’t be happy with how the race went and, first of all, I want to apologize to both Ducati and Jorge because I made a mistake. In the race, unfortunately, I was losing a lot in the first part of the acceleration, and we were not as fast as we usually are. Also, I had some difficulties at the start. Now we’ll have to analyze the data to try to understand what happened and try to come back stronger starting from the next race.

The Ducati Lenovo Team riders will be back on track in two weeks, from 18th-20th March, for the Indonesian GP at the Mandalika Street Circuit in Lombok.

The post Unlucky End In Qatar For Team Ducati Lenovo appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Born in Turin in 1997, “Pecco” Bagnaia made his MotoGP debut in 2019 with the Desmosedici GP of the Pramac Racing Team. He also contested the 2020 season with the same squad, achieving his first podium at the Grand Prix Lenovo of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera, where he finished second on the rostrum.

Promoted to the official Ducati team last year, the Turin-born rider continued to shine after taking pole position and finishing third place in the opening GP of 2021 and soon became one of the main title contenders. With nine podiums, four victories and six pole positions, Bagnaia ended 2021 in second place and is now looking forward to the new Championship, which will start on 6th March at the Losail International Circuit in Doha, Qatar.

Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team)
“Being a Ducati rider in MotoGP has always been my dream, and knowing that I can continue with the Ducati Lenovo Team for another two seasons makes me happy and proud. I have found a serene environment in the factory team: I feel very much in tune with my team and know that we can do great things together. Now I can only concentrate on doing well in this Championship. A big thank you to Claudio, Gigi, Paolo, Davide and all the Ducati Corse staff. I’ll try to repay their trust with my results on the track!”

Luigi Dall’Igna (General Manager of Ducati Corse):
“We are delighted to have Bagnaia with us for another two seasons. Since he arrived at Ducati in 2019, Pecco has shown great talent and the ability to interpret our Desmosedici GP very well, adapting to ride it in any condition. He did it, especially in the last season, during which he had significant growth and got to play for the World Title. The way he managed the races at Aragón, Misano, Portimão and Valencia, scoring four fantastic victories, is proof of his maturity as a rider. With these great qualities, we are sure that he has the potential to aim for the title with us”.

The post Francesco Bagnaia & Ducati Sign On Until 2024 appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

For the Borgo Panigale manufacturer, which was crowned 2021 MotoGP Constructors’ World Champion just seven days ago in Portimão, this is another historic achievement that has never been reached before in the premier class.

Read the full race report here…

Pecco Bagnaia scored another sensational win today, the fourth this season and the second consecutive after a win at the Portugal round. As he was starting from second on the grid, the Italian rider was able to keep the same position after the start, behind Jorge Martin, who started from pole position. With 12 laps to go, Bagnaia made his decisive move on the fellow Ducati rider, taking the lead, where he remained until the chequered flag.

Behind Jorge Martin, in third, was Bagnaia’s teammate Jack Miller. As he departed from the third spot of the grid, the Australian rider dropped back into sixth place in the early stages of the race, but as soon as he found his rhythm, he could close the gap on his rivals and get back into the podium fight. Third, with nine laps to go, Miller got closer and closer to Martin but could not overtake him, eventually finishing the race in third place, confirming his fourth position in the Championship.

“I’m thrilled with the victory today. To win wearing Valentino Rossi’s helmet was incredible and the best way to celebrate his last race. Today’s success was incredible, and now we know we are ready to fight for the riders’ title next year. During this season, we have improved the bike’s setup race after race, and at the end of 2021, the Desmosedici GP has become very strong, as well as its riders. We have a very good base for next year, and I hope to start as we finish. We have gained a lot of experience, and we have grown a lot! The team is unbelievable, and the atmosphere inside the garage is amazing! I’m really happy, and I thank Ducati for all this”. said Francesco Bagnaia.

“I’m delighted, even though I would have liked to have achieved something more today. Unfortunately, I lost some time at the start and had to recover to get back in the fight for the podium. It was a good race, and I had a lot of fun. Valencia is a track I really like, and it’s nice to finish the season like this. It’s the first time three Ducatis have finished on the podium, and it’s great to be part of this important achievement. I’m sure our bike will be even better next year, so I’m looking forward to the 2022 season and trying to fight for the riders’ title. This year we finish fourth, and it is my best result ever in the MotoGP Championship, so I hope to do even better next year.” said Jack Miller.

With the 2021 season over, the Ducati Lenovo Team riders will only have a few days off as on 18th and 19th November, they will already be back on track at the Circuit de Jerez – Angel Nieto to face the first two days of winter testing in preparation for the 2022 season.

The post Ducati Lenovo clinch the 2021 MotoGP Teams’ World Title appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....