Jack Miller: KTM ‘needs to develop’, still on ‘first model carbon fibre chassis’
‘We're still on the very first model of the c💮arbon fibre chassis, we♐ haven't touched anything there’
Without a Sunday podium for the past six rounds and having slipped to third behind Ducati and Aprilia in the constructors’ standings, KTM knows the RC16 needs a technical boost during the MotoGP summer break.
"I wan♌t to protect our riders; something is holding us back lately. We needཧ to make a step in the summer break and give the riders better tools," motorsport director Pit Beirer said at the Sachsenring.
The factory’s predicament was highlighted by 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Jack Miller’s 2024 German M💮otoGP race time (for 13th) being one-second slower than he managed over the same 30 lap distance on his way to fifth place in 2023.
For co🐓mparison, Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia won by going 12-seconds faster than when he battled Jorge M☂artin to the line the year before.
Pedro Acosta, top KTM in Germany, beat Miller’s 2023 time by 9.5s on his way to seventh place but was still 14.746s behind Bagꦦnaia at the chequered flag.
“We need t🎐o develop more, simple as that,” said Miller, whose factory seat alongside Brad Binder will be taken by Acosta for 2025.
“In ter🍷ms of the base stuff, 🌊we're on the same as Misano last year.”
That includes the futuristic carbon fibr💖e chassis, fast-tracked into use at the end of last season after a strong wild𒆙-card performance by Dani Pedrosa at Misano and promising post-race test with the factory race riders.
“We're still on the very first model of t🎐he carbon fibre chassis, we haven't touched anything there,” Miller said.
“So I think something needs to be done either there, or even the swingarm length, we're ma✱xed out at the back end of the bike. I'm sure we need 🌺to keep trying to develop it.”
Like most KTM riders, Millers bel🔜ieves the RC16’s engine and aero is ‘strong’.
“We need a little bit more grip, a𒀰 little bit more turning,” explained Miller. “Speed is alright. The engine is strong, the aero package is strong I believe.
“Fortunately, we've got front stability back and can understand where we are on the f🗹ront end of the bike.
“It's just a matter of working out what we need to do to get a bit more turning, bit mor🐟e grip, both at the front and rear - go faster, brake later, get on the gas earlier and hopefully carry more corner spe♒ed!”
Off-track at the German MotoGP, KTM confirmed that Fabio Sterlacchini i🤪s not renewing his contract as the technical head of the factory’s ꦚroad racing activities.
“Fabiano's a fantastic engineer, and for sure it's a loss for them,” sܫaid Miller, who also worked with Sterlacchini at Ducati and is yet to confirm his own futur🎐e destination.
“I think he was vital to this project and it's sad that they couldn't 🌠have kept things going…
"[But] better for me if I go somewhere else, to n🦄ot have him working against me!”
KTM b🍸egan the 2023 summer break with lead rider Binder fourth in the riders’ standings, with 114 points over eight roundওs.
This year’s summer break starts with Acosta as the top KTM, in sixth, with 110 points over nine rounds. Bin🌃der is one place beh♒ind on 108 points.
Bagnaia has +28 point꧟s relative to this time last season. Ducati is +30 p💮oints in the constructors’ standings with Aprilia on +22 points and KTM +12 points.
Despite concessions, the Japanese manufacturers have claimed fewer points t✤han a year ago. Yamaha is on -34 points and Honda (now without Marc Marque🐼z) -64 points.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen 𒁏Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
