Miller “tired” of comparing Ducati MotoGP bikes

Ducati came into the new season as favourites to fight for the title after a strong end to 2021 and the initial tests on the 2022 bike proving hugely encouraging.  

But as the pre-season phase wore on, it became apparent that the 2022 Ducati wasn’t as competitive as the 2021-spec which Gresini Racing and VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi are using.  

After the first four races, Enea Bastianini has won twice on his 2021-spec Ducati and leads the championship, while the GP22 has managed a second and a third – with the leading GP22 runner, Miller, only seventh in the standings.  

Following a wet Friday at the Portuguese Grand Prix, Miller was asked how the GP22 compared to the GP21 in rain conditions, but said he was fed up of doing that. 

“Define different,” replied the Australian, who trails Bastianini by 30 points.

“Everything’s always different. The bike’s good, it’s working well. 

“If I’m completely honest I’m tired of comparing the two because there’s no point in comparing the two.  

“My bike for this year is the GP22, of course it’s going to be different.

“The whole point of it is to be different. But to compare that or try and take whatever is better about that bike [the GP21]… I mean, I rode that bike for two years, sure it feels good.

Jack Miller, Ducati Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

“But I’m not trying to think about that bike. I’m trying to think about the bike I’m riding this year and not lose energy on focusing on that bike. 

“It’s a fantastic package we have and I think we can definitely get it better and better every time. We’re only four races in and we’ve had two top fives. 

“Okay, there was a DNF in Qatar but I feel like we are shaking the bike out and starting to get the most out of it.

Miller later added: “Talking about one or the other doesn’t change my outcome. My outcome this year is riding the GP22.  

“I feel like I’m step by step getting closer and closer getting it to my bike. I think I already did that.

“We’ve had a lot of different variations of the GP22 because everything was thrown at us rather quickly.  

“But it’s like saying my Norton from 1975 was the best handling bike in the world, which is not true otherwise they would still be racing it.  

“Development is like this, that’s how the development works.”