The half-distance contests have been introduced to spice up the Sat🍌urday action and, while they won’t count as a grand prix win or have any impact on the starting order of the main Sund🌳ay race, half-points will be awarded.

The shorter Sprint distance sᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚhould give an edge to riders that traditionally qualify well or are quick in the opening laps, something that could play into Miller🐈’s hands.

“I would like to think so,” said the new Red Bull KTM rider. “Coming from Australia and a dirt track and motocross bacꦿkground with relatively short races.

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“At the end of last year I was able to a dirt track here at home. It took me half a day to get back into how fast everything happens and how the start and first corner is so important, otherwis꧃e th𝓰e race is pretty much done.

“If we lo💯ok statistically in the past, the first half of [MotoG🎀P] races are always my strongest.

“💝I’m super excited to have the Sprint races this year to shake things up a bi🅺t and put on an extra show for the fans on a Saturday.

"Also for us as riders, MotoGP has been the same for 50-something years and to be here for such a ಌradical change, it’s an amazing time to be in the championship.

“There will be some questions bꦬut I’m sure after the first one or two everyone will be loving Spring races. There will be people who prefer the Sprint races more than the [Sunday] races!”

The first MotoGP Sprint race will be held on Saturday at the Portimao season ope💛🦋ner on March 25.