Miller keeps heat on title contenders
AUSSIE Jack Miller has battled to third place in a gruelling German GP that he described as his most physical race ever.
In hot and humid conditions more like a North Queensland summer, Miller overcame a long-lap penalty and pushed his factory Ducati to a podium finish at the Sachsenring.
Race winner and defending champion Fabio Quartararo extended his title lead at the halfway point of the season with another commanding performance on the factory Yamaha.
But Miller was satisfied to be back in form after two disappointing races and after confirming his split with Ducati and move to KTM next year.
“With that temperature and the layout of this track, there’s nowhere you can really rest on the lap, you’re constantly working,’’ he said.
Miller’s Mill title-chasing teammate Pecco Bagnaia slid out of contention on the fourth lap and the two teammates are now in equal sixth in the championship.
Pramac Ducati rider Johann Zarco finished second to make it another French onetwo. Zarco was physically spent after the hard race, which he described as a night
mare. The dominant Quartararo is now favourite to retain his title after 10 rounds of the 20-round season.
The Frenchman has extended his lead at the top to 34 points over Spanish rider Aleix Espargaro, who finished fourth on the factory Aprilia.
Australia’s other Motogp rider, Remy Gardner, finished 15th on the Tech 3 KTM.
“It was so hot today so it was tough physically as well,’’ Gardner said.
“I think that I held on pretty well, I was just unable to t go fast.”
In Moto3, Aussie teenager Joel J Kelso, who had been among a the top 10 riders early in the race, crashed out after nine laps.
The next round is the Dutch GP at Assen on Sunday before the mid-season break.