Ducati signs Aussie ace for MotoGP tilt
MOTORSPORT: Australia has a major hope back in MotoGP, with Jack Miller earning a promotion to Ducati’s main team from next season.
The 25-year-old Queenslander has signed a one-year deal to ride for the Italian manufacturer in 2021, with a contract extension option for the following year.
One of the most colourful characters on the circuit, Miller finished eighth last year with five podiums while riding for the non-works Pramac Ducati team.
Ducati chief executive Claudio Domenicali is adamant the Aussie can challenge for the MotoGP title, which has been under the stranglehold of Spain’s Marc Marquez for the past four seasons.
“Since he arrived in the Pramac Racing Team, Jack has grown steadily, proving himself one of the fastest and most talented riders in the championship,” Domenicali said in a statement.
“We are convinced that Jack has all the right skills to fight continuously for the positions that matter, in every race.”
Miller reflected on his journey to becoming a factory rider after making his premier class debut at age 20 in 2015.
“I’m excited about what’s to come with Ducati,” he wrote on Instagram, “but I have to acknowledge what Pramac Racing has done for me and everything they have done to make me the competitor I am today.”
Miller is following in the footsteps of Troy Bayliss and two-time world champion Casey Stoner, who both enjoyed a long association with Ducati.