Jack Miller (KTM/13th): Strange grip problem / MotoGP

Jack Miller returned from the first lap in third place after an electric start in the “Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas”. Then the 29-year-old was in the top five for a while with a soft rear tyre. However, as the race progressed, the Aussie was left behind – ultimately it was a defensive battle for the four-time MotoGP winner.

Shortly before the break he was only in ninth place – he was later caught by Trackhouse Aprilias and Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha). At the finish line, “Thriller Miller” managed only 13th place, 24 seconds behind the winner Maverick Viñales (Aprilia). “I had a good start and I felt good too. The bike worked well in the group with the boys. From the seventh lap onwards, unexpected problems suddenly appeared,” Miller reports angrily and succinctly.

Miller was powerless on the spectacular rollercoaster ride: “The back was pushing hard to the left. Nothing went forward – I also completely missed the grip on the side of the tire. It was difficult to drive like that. I just somehow tried to avoid every rider I saw coming from behind. I couldn’t do much more, I reached my limit.”

The experienced Australian continued: “I felt good at the beginning – it was a comfortable feeling – until the seventh lap. The bike worked better there than on Saturday. Miller assures himself: “We have a nice package, I was able to fight with the guys. But unfortunately then this problem arose.”

On the question of whether the intermediate tire could make a difference, Miller says: “It’s hard to say. They’re the tires we’ve been using for the last three years – and we really didn’t have any problems with them all weekend.”

Consolation for the new dad: The Jerez Grand Prix is ​​coming up in just two weeks, where the KTM RC16 performed so well last year and where Miller also had what was probably his strongest KTM weekend in MotoGP to date.
After three races, Miller is tenth in the World Championship standings with 22 points.

US GP Results:
1. Maverick Viñales (L) Aprilia 41:09.503 minutes.
2. Pedro Acosta (E) GASGAS +1.728 sec.
3. Enea Bastianini (I) Ducati +2.703 sec.
4. Jorge Martín (L) Pramac Ducati +4.690 sec.
5. Francesco Bagnaia (I) Ducati +7.392 sec.
6. Fabio Di Giannantonio (I) VR46 Ducati +9.980 sec.
7. Aleix Espargaró (E) Aprilia +12.208 seconds.
8. Marco Bezzecchi (I) VR46 Ducati +13.343 sec.
9. Brad Binder (ZA) KTM +14.931 sec.
10. Raúl Fernández (E) Trackhouse Aprilia +16.656 sec.
11. Miguel Oliveira (P) Trackhouse Aprilia +18,542 sec.
12. Fabio Quartararo (F) Yamaha +22,899 sec.
13. Jack Miller (AUS) KTM +24,011 sec.
14. Augusto Fernandez (E) GASGAS +27.652 sec.
15. Alex Márquez (L) Gresini Ducati +32.855 sec.
16. Luca Marini (I) Repsol Honda +33,528 sec.
17. Marc Márquez (ESP) Gresini Ducati out
18. Alex Rins (E) Yamaha out
19. Joan Mir (E) Repsol Honda out
20. Franco Morbidelli (I) Pramac Ducati out
21. Takaaki Nakagami (J) LCR Honda out
22. Johann Zarco (F) LCR Honda out

World Championship of Drivers to Austin:
1. Martin 80
2. Bastianini 59
3. Vinales 56
4. Acosta 54
5. Bagnaia 50
6. Fastener 49
7. Espargaro 39
8. Marc Marquez 36
9. And Giannantonio 25
10. Miller 22
11. Bezzecchi 20
12. Every quarter
13. Alex Márquez 14
14. Oliveira 13
15. Raúl Fernández 7
16. Augusto Fernandez 7
17. Mir 7
18. Zarco 5
19. When 3
20. Nakagami 2
21. Morbidelli 0
22. Marini 0

Designers:
1. Ducati 96
2. KTM 76
3. April 72
4. Yamaha 19
5. Honda 8
Team:
1. Ducati Lenovo 109
2. April 95
3. Pramac 80
4. KTM 71
5. YEAR 61
6. Grease 50
7. VR46 45
8. Yamaha 22
9. Trackhouse 20
10. Honda 7
11. LCR 7