Warning for Jack Miller: “Horrible business, contracts can be ripped up”

KTM have still not solved their intriguing problem of having five co🅺ntracted riders but only four bikes for the 2024 MotoGP rider line-up.
The spotlight has suddenly shone on Miller who, despite being their factory rid๊er and with a deal that runs throug🍬h 2024, could be replaced by the incoming Pedro Acosta.
“Jack is an incredible motorcycle racer,” Neil Hodg🅰son said ꦐto TNT Sports.
“But it’s no coincidence that Jack’s dip in form is along th🌠e exact same timings as people talking about Pedro Acosta moving up to MotoGPꦰ with KTM.
“Which team ⛄is he going into? We all assumed the GASGAS team.
“But the rumours this weekend are that he’ll ꧑go into the KTM official team.
“He’s a once-in-a-decade talent, ꦑAcosta. If you’ve got hi🐠m on your books, what do you do?
🌱“If it was me, I’d be tempted to put him into the factory t🌟eam.”
Asked if going from Moto2 straight into a MotoGP factory team was too big a jump, Hodgson said: “I don’t thi⛄nk so. I ♛think he’s that talented.
“I’m a massive Miller fan, we’re all good🥀 friends with him. But this is a business, it’s a pretty horrible busin🦹ess at times.
“Contracts can be tweaked, they can be ripped up.
“That’s what’s playing on Jack’s mind.
“You try harder, you go a bit slower, you change the bike, you get confused, you maybe lose a bit of t𝓡rust in your team.
“Before you know it, this is MotoGP, and you’re battlin🍷g outside of the points.”

KTM have Miller, Brad Binder, Pol Espargaro and Augusto Fernandez on 2024 contracts but ha𓆏ve promised Acosta a premier class seat, too.
Miller admitted to going through a crisis of confidence at last week’🍃s San꧅ Marino MotoGP.
Since his only podiꦏum of his debut year at KTM in Spain, he has retired early three times and finished no higher than P6, while teammate Brad Binder has constantly outshone him.
“We know we can ride, we know the bike is good, it’s just getting my confidence and comfort-l♓evel ba⛎ck up,” Miller said in Misano.
“It’s understanding what we need to make it click again, we’r𒁏e working tirelessly, myself and the team. I’m trying to take as much as possible, work as much as possible, to get comfortable.
“To ride differently, do whatever I can do in terms of riding style to become better. It’🍎🐈s just one of those processes that take a little bit [of time].”
Asked what he’s currentl🐲y lacking, Miller replied: “Just confidence in the front end, carဣry some more rolling speed. That’s the thing, carry rolling speed and still have the ability to turn. That’s what we’re searching for.”
Asked 🅰why he lost confidence, Miller answered: “In Assen we went in a 💝different direction, and coming back there hasn’t been an immediate answer.
“And the tracks haven’t helped me in terms of grip level. To put it down to💧 one thing or another? Hard. We all go through these moments. It’s not m🏅y first time struggling, it won’t be the last.”

James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering e💮verything from American sports, ওto football, to F1.