Miller: “You’re paid millions to be racers, not drag companies through the dirt”

Jack Miller says riders that constantly criticise their bikes are at risk of ruining the reputation of their manufacturers, which could turn those same companies off from wanting to race in MotoGP.

Robert Jones

23 Jun 2023

Miller made headlines after last weekend’s German MotoGP when he hit out at several riders, including Marc Marquez, for continued criticism of their machines.

While it’s been less noticeable from those currently riding Ducati or KTM machinery, riders from other brands have at times been very forthright in their criticism of the manufacturer they ride for.

Whether it’s the overall performance of their machine, a lack of development or a lack of direction, those are some of the areas of criticism that have been directed at their companies from different riders.

Miller didn’t want to get into naming specific people, but it’s thought that riders from Aprilia, Yamaha and Honda were the target of his words, before he later confirmed that Marquez was one of them.

Doubling down on the points he made last weekend, Miller told MotoGP.com: "I could probably have worded my Australian a bit better, but 100% I stand by what I said.

"At the end of the day we’re all motorcycle races and we’re paid to be motorcycle racers. If the bike is not where it should be, you’re paid to fix it. That’s your job. If you’re a construction worker, a road worker, whatever, if you’re constantly complaining about your job and how bad it is, you’re going to get the sack aren’t you.

"These companies are spending multi-million amounts of dollars to be here racing motorcycles, only for some people to drag their names through the dirt. For the sport is that healthy? No!

"Ducati are at the top at the moment because they’ve been put through the ringer for 12 years. They didn’t get there overnight. It wasn’t that they just got a magic bike and that was it.

"They worked and pulled themselves out of what was a really dire situation in 2011-2012. People forget about that. A lot of people want to write off a bike that won a championship three years ago. Then people want to talk rubbish about a bike that won the championship four years ago.

"At the end of the day you’re a motorcycle rider and you job is to come here and do your job. Not to complain about the motorbike. Not to drag the company that pays you really well through the dirt. It makes no sense to me. Like I said, it’s not healthy."

When pressed on particular names that he directed his words towards, Miller said that a multitude of riders have been making such complaints, meaning any name could have been used.

Following last Sunday’s race at Sachsenring, one of the words Miller used to describe riders with was ‘princess’, while also telling those same riders to just focus on their job

Miller has since said: "It was referred to a question. You can put whoever you want on there. But the question was that some people have a really bad bike. And I have no doubt that their bike is not a great position. But you can put whoever you want."