Miller, "hurt" for not having received any approach from Ducati about his renewal

In his second season as official driver of the Borgo Panigale team, the Australian has not starred in the start of the World Championship that could be expected, after accumulating only 15 points in the first three stops on the calendar.

In Qatar, the opening round, he had to leave due to an electronic problem in his Desmosedici ; in Mandalika he finished fourth and in Argentina, last Sunday, he did it 14th, without knowing exactly what had led him to remain embedded in the tail of the peloton, unable to come back.

In 2021, his first year in the red jumpsuit, Ducati offered him one more year of contract, although it seems difficult for this maneuver to be repeated given the administrative silence of those responsible for the company.

From the Bologna offices it has been made clear that Pecco Bagnaia’s partner – he signed his extension until 2024 – with a view to the coming year will come from the pilots that the constructor has on the payroll, with Jorge Martín and Enea Bastianini being the main candidates to fight for that position.

Jack Miller, who is behind both in the general points table, is neither blind nor deaf to what is happening around him.

“No, we haven’t talked [with Ducati]. What will I do? Well, just try to do my best, nothing could change,” he replied in a chat with Motorsport.com on Thursday.

“I’ve been in this situation over and over again, and getting stressed doesn’t do anything. I haven’t gotten any approach, and that hurts, because you feel left out, but what can I do?” Townsville from the Austin Speedway paddock.

When asked about the frustration that being subscribed to annual contracts can generate, Miller does not hesitate: “Of course [it is frustrating]. There comes a time when you start to doubt, and wonder why it happens. something that is out of my control. If they don’t want to [sign for more than two years], then they don’t want to. All I can do is try to disconnect and try to lengthen it a little more”, added the #43, who, despite everything feels “very loved” at Ducati.

When asked to explain what he thinks is behind that strategy, the ‘aussie’ runner uses reasons that go beyond the merely sporting.

“I understand that the choice of the rider for that second bike is a very important decision, and that there are political reasons behind it. I already know that they [the team] would love to reassure me. But not everything depends on them, but on the component political. This is an ugly part of racing, but it is what it is,” Miller continued, before openly acknowledging that he has already spoken with other possible destinations that may be interested in him.

“Of course [I’ve had contacts]; I’m not a piece of meat. I know I’ll be able to find a place somewhere else in this paddock. That doesn’t stress me at all,” he deepened, referring to that episode of 2019, in which Ducati flirted with the possibility of taking Jorge Lorenzo back.

“Even when they let me down in my last year at Pramac, when they wanted to re-sign Lorenzo, I kept my word to Ducati,” Miller said.

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Jack Miller, Equipo Ducati, Sam Lowes, Equipo Marc VDS Racing