Following a strong finish to the MotoGP season, Jack Miller believes that ‘any changes’ made to the Ducati this winter would give the GP22 a ‘good chance’ to win the world championship next year.
During the final MotoGP test of the year in Jerez, Jack Miller didn’t reveal much about the new Ducati parts he was testing – the fairing, engine, exhaust, and potentially a new ride-height device.
“Some positive, some negative. Like anything you test. Now we need to reassess how everything has gone and make a plan from there,” said the Australian, who finished 0.8s behind teammate and test leader Francesco Bagnaia with the tenth quickest combined lap time.
Ducati – typically known as a top speed bike – had won four of the final six MotoGP races with Bagnaia (who also dropped from the lead at Misano), including a top-three front row and podium sweep at the last round in Valencia, before being fastest at a tight and twisty track like Jerez.
This season, Ducati won races with three different riders, for a total of five different riders on the podium.
Bagnaia left Jerez saying Ducati had already improved on a GP21 he thought was ‘excellent,’ despite the fact that 2022 chassis parts were yet to be tested. Miller agreed that the GP22 has the potential to dominate next season if improvements to the current package are implemented.
“I think so. I think by ironing the kinks already out of the GP20 last year with the GP21 – which was nearly the same bike – we were able to be very dominant towards the back end of this season,” Miller said.
“Not myself in particular but Pecco and other guys. And [I was] able to be there or thereabouts most weekends. For sure if we can make any improvements, I think we have a good chance at it [in 2022].”
Miller was among those who tried a long exhaust at Jerez, while Ducati chassis parts are anticipated for the upcoming Sepang test in February.
“You mean the didgeridoo?” Miller smiled. “We call it the didgeridoo in the box.
“We tested it first in Misano and it’s good. I’m not going to tell you exactly what it does, but it’s better in some places, worse in others…”
In 2022, Ducati will increase its MotoGP machine count from six to eight. The GP22 will be used by five riders, while the GP21 will be used by the remaining riders.
Miller’s personal racing season will come to end in the first week of December when he makes a surprise cameo in the Australian Superbike Championship.
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