Miller dig at Bastianini? “Taking photos and celebrating after one podium…”

The stresses of Jack Miller, Enea Bastianini and Jorge Martin as they publicly fought for the same 2023 factory Ducati seat have been laid bare in The Ducati Decision.
Jack Miller , Enea
Jack Miller , Enea

Bastianini eventually won the fight and will be in the 2023 MotoGP rider line-up alongside Francesco Bagnaia, who is currently second in the MotoGP standings and has the championship in his sights.

The Ducati Decision filmed a scene after the French MotoGP which Bastianini won, at the height of the competition between teammates for a single seat.

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“Taking photos and celebrating after one podium? I don’t think that means anything,” Miller said.

“I’ve been working with these people for five years. When the results come, they come.”

Miller later hinted at the decision that was to come, that he had opted to leave Ducati for KTM next season.

He claimed that his performances this season were “not to keep my job - to do the best that I can, for myself, personally”.

Jack Miller MotoGP race, Thailand MotoGP 2 October
Jack Miller MotoGP race, Thailand MotoGP 2 October

This season Miller is partnering title contender Bagnaia in the Lenovo Ducati Team, Bastianini is with Gresini Racing and Martin is with Pramac Racing.

Miller, speaking earlier this season, said about his chances of being retained by Ducati: “I do the best I can for the company. I am a liked person, people like me a lot.

“I sell a lot more motorcycles than other people do. And that’s a big thing in this business.

“So, for sure, I have a lot of factors coming in my way.”

Miller heads into his home race, the Australian MotoGP, this weekend. Since confirming that his days with Ducati are numbered he has registered his best results of the season - the Aussie won the Japanese MotoGP and finished second in Thailand in consecutive races.

Bastianini, though, has had a breakthrough season with four victories (Qatar, America, France, Aragon).

Enea Bastianini, MotoGP, Thailand MotoGP, 1 October
Enea Bastianini, MotoGP, Thailand MotoGP, 1 October

“If you look at results, Enea deserves the place and I don’t,” said Martin, who has been on the podium three times in 2022, earlier this year. “But if you look inside, I think it’s a different story. He has a really good bike. With that bike, I did those things last year.”

Ducati boss Davide Tardozzi described their three-way decision between Bastianini, Miller and Martin: “It’s a problem that everybody would like to have.

“Some people may say that we are managing a problem. But it is such a nice problem to manage.”

Miller then revealed how he broke the news to his Ducati bosses that he would switch to KTM: “What makes me hungry? What will motivate me the best in the years to come?

“I went to speak with them all after I made my decision. I explained that I won’t be here next year. I have decided to go elsewhere, and that’s it.”

Miguel Oliveira, whose KTM seat Miller will inherit when the Portuguese rider moves to Aprilia, teased Miller: “I hope you enjoy it more than me!”

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