Valencia MotoGP: Jack Miller: “It could have been an amazing result…”

When KTM team-mate Brad Binder ran wide, Jack Miller took over the Valencia race lead and looked on course to make history as the first MotoGP winner on three different brands of bike.
Jack Miller, MotoGP race, Valencia MotoGP, 26 November
Jack Miller, MotoGP race, Valencia MotoGP, 26 November

But it ended in disaster when, after leading for 5 laps, Miller was caught out a🧸t the s🦂ame Turn 10 as Binder.

While the South African had at least been able to rejoin and later salvaged a podium after Fab💧io di Giannantonio’s tyre pressure penalty, a crestfallen Miller was down and out.

“Not much to say. I didn’t do much different compared to the previous lap. I’d had a few moments with the front so decided to take i💟t easy and not do any🦩thing too savage and, yeah, she just got away from me,” Miller said.

"I didn't even get to grab the brakes yet, she disappeared from underneath ♈me and that was all she wrote.

"I had a lit𓃲tle cry and it's one of those ones where it got ꦦaway.

"But we pus꧃hed so hard and we've been working our arse ✅off, not only the last couple of weeks, all year.

“It could have been an ama🍃zing result… But like I said♏: Could have been. But we’ll take stock and bounce back.

“It's a bittersweet w𒅌ay to end𒁃 because it’s nice to know we have pace and we’re heading in the right direction.

“We have been working our butts off. The rider is just one s♉mall part because there is so much going on behin༒d the scenes.

“Everyone has worked tirelessly, so I thank the൲m all for ꦅthat.”

Ducati's Francesco Bagnaia took over the leಞad after Miller's lap 19 exit and went on to claim his s൲econd MotoGP title with a race victory.

"Lap by lap by lap you could feel it getting cooler. But we're racing in the last weekend of November, so that can be expected," Miller💧 said.

"I'm not going to blame that [for the crash], it was the same conditions for everybody and Pecc🌱o managed to stay on the bike and win the race and win the championship.

"So we'll learn from this and try to improve for 🐬next year."

Binder, who has lost two podiums🐬 this year due to post-race penalties for exceeding track limits, said:

“A 3rd pl♐ace is a 3rd place, even if we didn’t actually go to the podium! I gave away a couple of podiums this year, so I know it’s not fun. Anyway, quite cool to finish in 3rd after coming close.

“I🌱 took an un-needed Long Lap [when I ran wide] but did well to save the crash because the front tyre had been cooling down.

“A tricky da🅘y. I tried to fight my way back through but had no rear tyre left at the end.

“We won two Sprints this year but it would have been go🎃od to sign off wi✱th a main victory. We just need a little bit more in this off-season to fight.

“Thanks to🍨 all my crew. We’ve made a big step this year and there’s more to come.”

Binder set a new KTM high with fourth in the riders’ standings, with the factory finishing second to Ducati in the constructors, despite💙 noಌt winning a grand prix.

Miller might have claimed ninth in the standings if he had won but inst🎃ead finished the season in eleventh, 9 points from Fabio Quartararo (11th on Sunday) and 14 points from Alex Marquez (6th).

Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years ꦦand has seen Valentino Rosℱsi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.

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