Miller: Two years ago nobody wanted me!

Just five races into his Ducati MotoGP career and Jack Miller is among the riders in contention to join Andrea Dovizioso at the factory team for 2019.

Miller joined Pramac after reaching the end of a three-year Honda contract, which began with the young Australian jumping straight from Moto3 to MotoGP in 2015.

But HRC chose not to extend Miller's contract at the end of last season, offering only a year-old bike if he reached his own agreement with Marc VDS and losing crew chief Ramon Aurin to Takaaki Nakagami.

Instead, Miller took the Ducati route, signing with the factory but being placed at the Pramac team on a year-old GP17.

It's a decision that has paid off handsomely so far with Miller sixth in the world championship, claiming a pole position in Argentina and pair of fourth place finishes.

Like team-mate Danilo Petrucci (on a GP18), Miller is now waiting to hear Ducati's plans for next season.

The factory has an option on both riders, which in Miller's case means he will remain at Pramac or be promoted to the official team.

Either way, he'll have the latest GP19 machinery, but Miller admits it'd be a dream to get the factory deal.

"My management is in talks, trying to push as much as we can but we are playing the waiting game," Miller said at Mugello on Thursday.

"As I’ve said all along either way I’ll be on a GP19, but of course I would like to be in the red colours but either way there are positives and negatives to both sides.

"There's a lot more stress in the factory team, but it would be a dream come true so we are pushing for it and we have the option there but whether or not they use it is entirely up to them.

"Aki [Ajo, manager] I feel is doing his job and pushing as best we can so we’ll wait and see."

Miller added that even to be in consideration for the factory seat is "unreal" given that "two years ago nobody wanted to touch me".

"I feel two years ago I didn’t deserve it, I’ve worked hard over the last couple of years, really knuckled down and matured a lot.

"My riding has shown that a lot too. I think eight top 10s in a row - that is the best run of my career ever. Even since I was a junior I have never finished eight races in a row.

"Even at the last race or two with the podium being just there, I’ve had to swallow my pride. The younger, more inexperienced Jack would’ve probably gone for it and ended up in the gravel trap!

"But I didn’t feel I had the tyres underneath me or the speed to close the gap, but as you’ve seen I’ve been getting closer and closer. So this [podium] will come.

"To gain experience and to finish races with those guys just in front of me is unreal to learn off and as a confidence boost."

Commenting on the difference between the Ducati and his previous Honda machinery, the Assen 2016 winner explained:

"I feel the Ducati I am able to be calmer. I don’t know if it is because of the feeling with the bike so I am riding less tense.

"Last year on the Honda I had some big problems with my biceps, since I’ve been in MotoGP the bicep would tear a bit off the bone, it happened quite a lot.

"I get it at the start of the year after being off the bike for so long but with the Honda I’d still have it at the start of the season. With this bike it is quite good."

Franesco Bagnaia is already confirmed on one of the Pramac bikes for 2019, with Petrucci expected to leave the manufacturer if he does not get the official team ride.