Factory Ducati rider positive following difficult three days.
A busy three days of testing at Mandalika saw Jack Miller finish P18 on the charts, the Ducati Lenovo rider gathering valuable insight into track conditions he feels will be similar to those expected at Qatar’s season-opener.
Heavy rainfall prior and construction nearby made for a treacherous surface on day one, with times significantly dropping on days two and three as Miller ran through a variety of programs for the Bologna factory.
While the 27-year-old finished further down the time-sheets than usual, he draws positives from the work completed that will allow him to progress once the MotoGP paddock returns to the Indonesian circuit and when the championship heads to Losail for round one.
“It was a tough three days of testing because we had so many things to try, but we were able to complete most of our program and gather a lot of data for the engineers to work on,” Miller recalled. “I like the new circuit and it reminds me a little of the track in Argentina.
“Unfortunately, the rain and the construction site nearby made the asphalt quite dirty. We had to be careful not to go off the lines, but this allowed us to work for Qatar, where we will certainly find similar conditions because of the sand. I’m satisfied and ready to get on track for the first race of the year.”
In total, Miller completed a total of 234 laps of the Mandalika circuit across the three days, finishing 0.8s from pacesetter Pol Espargaro and 0.4s from teammate Francesco Bagnaia. Ducati Lenovo Team manager Davide Tardozzi indicated power delivery as an area they can still improve, citing the Italian factory were 80 percent satisfied with the pre-season.