The half-distance contests have been introduced to s🅰pice up the Saturday action and, while they won’t count as a grand prix win or have any impact on the starting order of the main Sunday race, half-p🍃oints will be awarded.

The s💙horter Sprint distance should give an edge to riders that traditionally qualify well or are quick in the openi🐽ng laps, something that could play into Miller’s hands.

“I woꦅuld like to think so,” said the new Red Bull KTM rider. “Coming from Australia and a dirt track and motocross background with relatively short races.

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“At the end of last year I was able to a dirt track here at home. It took me half a da🧸y to get back into how fast everything happens and how the start and first corner is so important, otherwise the race is pretty much done.

“If we 🐎look statist🐎ically in the past, the first half of [MotoGP] races are always my strongest.

“I’m super excited to have the Sprint ra🌃ces this year to shake things up a bit and put oไn an extra show for the fans on a Saturday.

"Also for us as riders, MotoGP has been the same for 50-something years a♎nd to be here for such a radical change, it’s an amazing time to be in the championship.

“There will be so🧔me queཧstions but I’m sure after the first one or two everyone will be loving Spring races. There will be people who prefer the Sprint races more than the [Sunday] races!”

The first MotoGP Sprint race will be held on Saturday at the Portimao season opener on Maꦆrch 25.