Jack Miller buoyant: “Felt shit” after Qatar, podium “realistic” in Portimao
Jack Miller reacts to going sec🧸ond-fastest on Fꦫriday in Portimao at the Portuguese MotoGP
Jack Mil𝕴ler delivered a much-needed reminder of his capabilities with a P2 finish at Friday Practice at the Portuguese MotoGP.
Miller was behind only Enea Bastian🌄ini on a hugely positive day for the KTM rider.
At the🅰 season-opener in Qatar he endured a dr💖eadful 21st-placed finish, the worst possible start to a season where he must earn his next KTM contract.
Miller said after going second-fastest in 🧔Portimao on Friday: “It was a g🌸ood day, obviously.
“The conditions were not what we expected, with the rain💞 overnigh𝐆t.
“The bike is working well, as🦂 it ha🍸s done all year. It’s nice to show up and have a crack!
“There a𝓰re areas we can improve on the hard tyre and the 🌸soft.
“It’s nice to be through to Q2, that’s𓆏 the first job done🀅.
“The way I felt this afternoon, when I did the lap times on hard tyres, I was h🧜appy.”
Miller had an early crꦐash in Portimao but rebounded confidently.
He was asked if the 🅰circuit suits his machine, and said: “The old KTM maybe w🍬as more manoeuvrable.
“All the𒐪 bikes now have gone to the ꦬlonger wheel base.
“But, our bike does suit it. From Turn 1 to 3, you can pitch the thing sideways and get it to stop on a dimepiece, and follow the white line around the inside, which used to be pretty hard on the Duꦛcati.
“So it’s a track that suits our bike.
“Qatar suited our bike too. I di🧸dn’t feel terrible. I just didn’t put it together.”
Miller believes a podi𝔍um is possible this weekend.
“I think it e𝕴very week otherwise🌜 I wouldn’t show up,” he said.
“But obviously it seems more realistic this week.
“I ♔felt exꦦtremely shit after the race in Qatar but that’s a different story.
“We have a great package. We just need the st🍌ars to align and we can do a great job.”
Miller went through a rigorous fitness regime before the start of the 2024 MotoGP season but wasn’t able to show off his hard work due to a t෴errible result in Qatar.
“I worked extremely hard on the offseaso🦹n, and in the week between Qata൩r and here, to exhaust every option and to work on myself physically and mentally,” he said.
And he added: “F***** food, I’ve never e𝓰aten so much fruit in my life, I am trying everything!”
James was𓄧 a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a de🌌cade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
