Indonesian MotoGP: No question Mandalika track is 'ready to race' - Jack Miller

Sixth fastest on day-one of the Mandalika MotoGP, Jack Miller believes the Indonesian circuit’s new asphalt has made it ‘100% ready to race’.
Jack Miller, MotoGP, Indonesian MotoGP, 18 March 2022
Jack Miller, MotoGP, Indonesian MotoGP, 18 March 2022
© Gold and Goose

Although Miller stated he was one of the riders who didn’t think a new asphalt was not needed - ‘all I said was the track needed a sweep’, the three-time MotoGP race winner has since claimed the re🅘cent resurfacing has provided much better grip.  

"I never said the trac𓆏k wasn’t ready for racing, all I said was the track needed a sweep," said Miller. 

"I 💙didn’t think it needed the new asphalt, but I’m appreciative of them putting in the new asphalt because it’s a lot ⛎better. 

"The track is 10🐻0% ready for racing. I would like to do a practice start on the front straight just to see how it’s going."

While grip has significantly improved compared to last month’s pre-sea🐻son test, the newly-built Mandalika Street Circuit remains very dirty off-line, especially the front straight. 

Miller claims the track conditions will be discussed during the safety commission ahead o♋f tomorrow's action: “I saw a couple of guys doing a practice start and it's the dirtiest and least used💜 part of the track. It’s not a good gauge for doing a practice start. We’ll meet with the safety commission this afternoon and then make a plan.”

In terms of his position on the leaderboard, ♒Miller was fourth fastest when it came to the Italian manufacturer’s pecking order - sixth overall - however, his race pace looks even stronger.

"I had a lot of fun today," added the Australian. "They’ve done an amazing job to get the trackꦏ in the condition that it’s in already. It was still a little bit dustyܫ this morning, but it doesn’t matter how much you broom and brush the track, nothing cleans the track like motorcycles racing on it. 

"The pace is there. I did a long run in FP2 and felt pretty good. I tried the softer tyre because that’s new here and also to try and understand hoওw it behaves after some laps on i🐻t."

During his media debrief Miller was also asked about Ducati not running a front (holeshot) device, to which the factor🥃y Ducati rider was quick not to comment.  

Miller's response: "About that (front device)♍ I don’t really want to comment too much. We are trying devices and testing stuff. And yeah, not much to say."

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