Jack Miller after San Marino MotoGP: Crash was “wrong time, wrong place” | “I need confidence back”
The KTM rider admitted afterwards ꦅthat he is facing somewhat of a crisis of confidence♔.
Since his only podium of the seaso෴n in Spain, he has retired early three times and𝕴 finished no higher than P6.
“Not the most ideal day,” Miller said afterwards in💜 Mis🙈ano. “I made some changes, some final tweaks to the bike, it felt not bad.
“I got a better start than [Saturday] and settled into🐎 my pace. I was running mid to high 32s. I made a little mistake on the back straight - bugger all, just ran out a bit, throu♉gh 11, on the green.
“I put myself in range of Franco Morbidelli, he tried to pass six times, every time going off the end of the track. On the 🌊last go, he did at 4. He went off the ✱end.
“As I turned, Pirro centre-punched me i🌟n the middle of my ribs. That was it. Not much more to say, really.
“It wa✃s🀅n’t the best weekend for us. It’s shitty to end a race like that.
“There weren’t many overtakes at the front𝐆 but, all weekend, the gaps are close. That’s what happens when the bikes are competitive, the grip is so high, the tyres don’t really drop. You don’t have to manage so much.
“But my one was simply wrong place,🃏 wrong time, unlucky.”
Miller’s bright start to life at KTM, after exiting Ducati at the end of last year, has become hampered in recent weeks as ⛦he’s struggled, while teammate Brad Binder has often battled at the front.
Miller 🤪said about his self-belief: “We know we can ride, we know the bike is goodꦬ, it’s just getting my confidence and comfort-level back up.
“It’s understanding what we need to make it click again, we’re working tirelessly, myself and the team. I’m trying to taᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚke as much as possible, work as 🐬much as possible, to get comfortable.
“To ride differently, do whatever I can do in terms of riding style to become better. It’s j🍨ust one of those processes that take a little bit [of time].”
Asked what he’s currently l🔯acking, Miller replied: “Just confidence in the front end, carry some more rolling speed. That’s the thing, carry r🐻olling speed and still have the ability to turn. That’s what we’re searching for.”
Asked why he lost confidence, Miller answered: “In Assen we went in a different directioꦺ❀n, and coming back there hasn’t been an immediate answer.
“And💙 the tracks haven’t helped me in terms of grip level. To put it down to one thing or another? Hard. We all go through these🐓 moments. It’s not my first time struggling, it won’t be the last.”
The Misano test on Monday will give Miller a crucial opportunity to rebui💫ld himself.
“The test is super-important,💟” 🎉he said. “New stuff as well as re-setting.
“I’m sure there are items there that aren’t for this year, but I’ve said to put them on for at least the afternoon, because I’m going to need the morning session to unders🍃tand this bike, to understand what I need to do, without timed sessions.”
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1💖.
