Miller: ‘I s**t myself’ braking for turn one, slow corners ‘our main focus’

While traction control, bike geometry and corner exit are just a few main areas of focus for Jack Miller on day-two of the Sepang MotoGP test, the Australian will also be keen to avoid moments like he encountered on his first lap after saying “I s**t myself thinking I was not making the corner."

Robert Jones

10 Feb 2023

The four-time MotoGP race winner was referencing a moment where he broke for turn one after reaching speeds in excess of 300km/h, in what was only his second day of testing aboard the KTM.

Down the pecking order for much of the day, Miller eventually managed to sneak past team-mate Brad Binder and conclude the opening day in 16th position.

"Solid first day here. After one day on the bike in Valencia and three months without a motorbike, pretty much, it was a shock to the system," said Miller.

"I was able to work my way through and get comfortable throughout the day. Step-by-step improving and finding my feet, finding my direction, understanding what the bike needs, what the bike wants.

"We made some big progress with the bike, with my feelings with the bike. There’s still a little bit to go with understanding basic geometry in terms of suspension settings and electronics. But we made some big headway in the engine brake department today and just getting that to a place where I’m happy with it.

"Now onto TC (traction control), torque delivery and for sure a little bit more with the suspension tomorrow morning. But all-in-all I’m happy enough. Now with two days on the bike we can sort of understand where I’m at, what the bike is doing."

Corner exit still KTM’s MotoGP weakness?

Brad Binder, Sepang MotoGP test, 10 February

An issue which Binder flagged at various points in 2022 has now been brought into the spotlight as a key area to improve by Miller.

Although it’s just as likely that Miller wants to make improvements in that area due to him being new to the RC16, and thus searching for as much performance as possible, it’s still a concern for KTM that the Australian has pointed to corner exit as being part of the main focus going forward.

Miller said: "The biggest areas now are in the torque delivery department. Trying to get the thing to come off slower corners is going to be our main focus.

"We’ll try and work on torque delivery because we’re relying a lot more on the system than I would like to, rather than having it more in my hand and having it there as a kick in the ass to tell you when you are over-spinning and what-not.

"Just trying to get it more in my hand. Also working with the geometry because every step we made on the front-end was an improvement today. We were getting the bike to stop more, getting more comfortable on the brakes and also just getting my eyes back into the swing of things.

"The first time I sat up on the brakes for turn one I s**t myself thinking I was not making the corner at all.

"After doing this for so long you know where your braking points are, more-or-less. The first lap you always pump it back a bit but when I sat up at 300km/h I thought there was no chance I was stopping but then I was releasing the brakes because I was stopping too much."