Miller: Ducati can dominate with 2022 MotoGP bike

Ducati retained the constructors’ championship in 2021 having tallied up seven victories across three of its factory-supported riders.

Miller won twice at Jerez and Le Mans, while factory Ducati team-mate Francesco Bagnaia scored four victories and Pramac rookie Jorge Martin claimed a maiden win at the Styrian Grand Prix.

Bagnaia – who finished 2021 runner-up in the standings – said last month at the Jerez test Ducati already had a “perfect” bike, which it had managed to improve with its latest prototype.

When asked if Ducati could dominate with its new bike next year, Miller responded: “I think so.

“I think ironing the kinks already out of the GP20 last year with the GP21, which was quite the same bike.

“We were able to be very dominant towards the back-end of last season - not myself in particular, but with Pecco and other guys as well, and we were able to be there or thereabouts most weekends.

“I think for sure we're getting improvements, we've got a good chance at it [dominating next year].”

Ducati MotoGP bike

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Bagnaia says Ducati did “an enormous job this year” to fine-tune the package, with the COVID-enforced development freeze for 2021 working in its favour.

“I think that we had one more year to concentrate more or less on the same bike, and for me it was better because I understood how to ride it better without any changes,” the Italian explained.

“For sure compared to my bike last year, I had many changes on it.

“But when I started the season, I felt great and I started working with it.

“And I think it’s for Jack the same, we worked a lot and now with the same bike we are doing different things because we are stronger on braking, stronger on turning.

“I think we did a really great job this year and it’s also better for the engineers who have to develop next year’s bike.

“So, we did an enormous job this year.”