Alex Márquez put an end to Jack Miller’s good run on the Asian tour when, arriving in the first third of the race at the Australian Grand Prix, he took him ahead at the entrance to turn four.
Until that moment, Miller was leading the group , and was fighting with his teammate, Pecco Bagnaia, for the third position. However, his options went to waste when he received the impact of the Honda. “It’s not the day I had planned, but it is what it is,” he said after the race.
“I was halfway through the corner, about to release the brakes and hit the throttle, when [Alex] hit me with the front wheel of his bike on my back. There wasn’t much I could do about it. I was looking at the tail end of Alex’s bike. [Marco] Bezzechi, and in a second I was seeing the stars,” the local driver explained.
The impact was hard , and Jack had to sit for a moment before he was able to sit up. “I’m out of breath. I feel fine, just a little bruised,” he reassured.
True to his calm and peaceful style, Miller tried to take iron out of the matter , and acknowledged that he had no problem with the youngest of the Márquez. “Why would I hold a grudge against him? At the end of the day, we all go out there to do our best,” he said.
“I understand that he got a little carried away trying to overtake Marini, but we all make mistakes. He’s just as devastated as I am that he didn’t finish the race.”
But that does not mean that the emotional pain for #43 is immense . “My first home grand prix in three years… not the way I wanted to end it,” said Jack, who had the pace to fight for victory.
“Once I caught my breath I went over to [his parents], gave them a hug and apologized,” Miller added. “So many people from across Australia have traveled here, not just my family, to see an Australian do well. And you feel like you’ve let them down,” he admitted, notoriously sad. “It’s devastating, but it’s part of motorcycle racing,” he concluded.
On the other hand, Alex Marquez took full responsibility for the accident, saying he “understands” Jack’s anger. “I made a mistake. I was being very careful in that corner, because I know it’s dangerous.”
“On that lap I had started to attack, because everyone was passing me,” explained the Honda rider. “I feel sorry for him and for his team. […] Anyone can make a mistake, but that was too much. It’s something that can happen to anyone, although it’s not an excuse,” he declared.
The #73 was sanctioned with a long lap ahead of the next race, in Malaysia.
Jack Miller and Alex Márquez being evacuated by the stewards
Do you want to read our news before anyone else and for free? Follow us here on our Telegram channel and you won’t miss a thing. All the information, at your fingertips!
