Image: Supplied.

Ducati Lenovo Team’s Jack Miller struggled to overtake during the eighth round of the 2022 MotoGP World Championship at Mugello, finishing a disappointing 15th after an off-track excursion on lap one.

The 27-year-old was unable to transfer out of Qualifying one on Saturday and as a result started the 23 lap Italian GP from 13th on the grid.

Sitting 22nd following the opening lap, Miller worked his way to 15th by the eighth circuit but failed to progress any further up the field, completing the race to score a single world championship point.

“Starting so far back definitely didn’t help. After the start, I got trapped in the group and went on the grass at the first corner, finishing 22nd,” Miller recalled. “From there, it was a comeback race.

“I managed to pass a few riders, although I struggled a lot to overtake. Then once I got behind Alex Marquez, I could never get close enough to attack him again. That’s how it went today, but luckily we’ll have another race soon to try to bounce back!”

Mugello wasn’t the first race this season where the Australian has found it difficult to pass, the number 43 lacking the right feeling at Argentina’s round three to progress forwards from 14th.

Miller sits eighth in the championship standings with podiums at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) and Le Mans to his credit this season. Round nine of the 2022 MotoGP World Championship commences this Friday at Catalunya, Spain.