News 23 May 2016

Miller taken out on opening lap of Italian Grand Prix

Luckless Australian caught up in another rider's error.

Source: Supplied.

Source: Supplied.

Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS rider Jack Miller made an early exit from the Italian Grand Prix when he was the innocent victim of a turn one crash.

It was crushing blow for the Australian rider who was confident of a points scoring finish on the sweeping Mugello circuit in Tuscany.

But the bad luck that has dogged Miller since a pre-season motocross training crash continued when he was bumped out of the race just 500 metres after the start.

“My race lasted about 500 metres, but you can’t control what is out of your hands,” Miller said. “We worked hard all weekend to have good set-up for the race, so it’s really disappointing to be taken out at the first corner.

“I got hit from behind and Alvaro Bautista also lost the front, so I think it was Bautista’s sliding bike that took me out. It’s a shame but the positives are that we improved all weekend, I’m really sorry for the team and the sponsors. We need to put this behind us now and look ahead to the next race in Barcelona.”

Miller had qualified 17th on the grid and had a good feeling with his Honda RC213V going into what he anticipated would be a 21-lap race.

Miller’s teammate Tito Rabat did not race after suffering a fractured left collarbone in practice on Saturday. Rabat will undergo surgery to plate the fracture at the Hospital Universitari Dexeus in Barcelona tomorrow.

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