Jack Miller “exit stage left” after Binder contact, “tangle” with Martin

Jack Miller set the fastest race lap by a Yamaha rider during Sunday’s Catalan MotoGP, quicker than front row qualifier Fabio Quartararo and within 0.42s of the best by race winner Alex Marquez

But the Australian could only finish 14th after an opening lap incident with Brad Binder sent the Pramac rider into the back of Jorge Martin’s Aprilia.

“It‘s a pity. Unfortunately, I got hit at Turn 4 and went through the gravel, so I just had to work my way up from last position,” Miller said.

“I was hard on the inside of Martin, and when I copped the hit, as soon as I stood up, I was tangled in the back of Martin's bike. Exit stage left into the gravel. Standard racing stuff...”

The incident cost Miller around five seconds and left him in last place.

“Jack was very unlucky with that contact with Binder on lap one, which pushed him wide and ruined his race,” said team manager Gino Borsoi.

“Without that incident, he too could probably have fought as well for a spot in the top ten, as his pace showed.”

Miller climbed steadily through the field, eventually passing Gresini Ducati’s Fermin Aldeguer on the penultimate lap.

“The pace was decent, and the bike was working well, even if it was still difficult to pass when I caught someone, even though I was definitely faster,” Miller said.

“I pushed until the end, trying to be as quick as I could, and I feel we made a step forward this weekend with the bike in terms of our base setting - more fine-tuning rather than big changes.

“I‘m happy with how the bike is performing, and I think we have a good strategy for the next couple of races.”

Borsoi added: “All in all, I‘d say we did a really good job. And so did Quartararo and his crew in the neighbouring garage, further proof that Yamaha made a step forward this weekend.”

Quartararo, runner-up in the Sprint, was fifth in the grand prix.