Miller: "In an ideal world I would arrive in Portugal adapted to the KTM"

The Australian will race on a KTM RC16 after spending the last five seasons with Ducati, first with Pramac Racing (2018-2020) and then with the factory team (2021 and 2022). The change is as radical as it is attractive for the boy from Townsville, who returns with the brand with which he started performing in the lower categories.

Jack Miller, who finished fifth in the World Championship in 2022 with one victory (in Japan) and seven podiums, does not underestimate the leap he made from leaving the most competitive and versatile bike on the grid to switch to a bike that, a priori, has need a lot more adjustments.

Number 43 arrived at KTM with a group of engineers who, like him, come from Ducati. In addition to the previous arrivals of Fabiano Sterlacchini as technical director (2021) and Francesco Guidotti as team manager (2022), Miller joins Christian Pupulin, his technical chief at the Borgo Panigale marque. Alberto Giribuola, until now technical manager of Enea Bastianini at Gresini Racing, who previously also worked with Andrea Dovizioso at Rossa, also joins KTM.

For “Thriller,” having friendly faces in the garage will make it easier for him to adjust. A task that, according to him, will be the focus of the first quarter of the calendar.

“Changing bikes, changing brands, isn’t easy. Especially when you’ve gotten used to it and you have to adapt and feel good with the new bike. We saw it last year with Maverick Vinales and his Aprilia. I’ll try to do my best” , said Miller, still in Australia, where he spent most of the winter and where he honeymooned with his wife Ruby.

“In an ideal world, a couple of test rides would be enough to arrive in Portugal (first round of the calendar on March 26) fully adapted to the KTM. The goal is to ride as naturally as possible. This first quarter of the year will be crucial to understand what can be done with this bike”, added the Australian, who will take to the track in Malaysia on 10 February, hoping that the indications given in November, after his only experience on the RC16, have been applied.

“The Valencia test recharged my batteries and I understood a lot more than I thought. I felt at ease relatively quickly. I tried to understand the bike based on my sensations, without being influenced by the opinions that had been expressed on the bike. We touched almost nothing, we just tried to increase the transfer of power to the ground when exiting corners. I think the factory did a lot of work based on my comments from that day,” continued Miller, who has the ambition to become the first rider in MotoGP history to win with three different manufacturers.

“Obviously it’s a goal I’m aiming for and as far as I’m concerned I’ll do my best. But MotoGP isn’t child’s play, it’s getting more and more complicated,” said the new KTM signing.

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