Australian MotoGP ace Jack Miller is determined to finish his best season in the premier class on a high, with a grandstand finish to propel him into an even more successful 2020 campaign.
In his second season with Pramac Racing Ducati, Miller has three third-place finishes in an impressive campaign that leaves him eighth in the world championship standings heading into the Australian MotoGP at Phillip Island.
Miller is second in the independent riders classification, behind recently-crowned rookie of the year, French sensation Fabio Quartararo.
The 24-year-old’s three podiums – in Austin, the Czech Republic and Aragon – and his efforts to regularly qualify on the first two rows of the grid earned him a contract extension for 2020.
“I’ve had a few ups and downs and a couple of results where I would have liked a little bit more, but it’s been a pretty good season,” Miller told AAP.
“It’s been a real boost for my confidence … I think I’ve done a reasonable job with the amount of experience that I’ve got.
“I think next year I’ll just be stronger again.
“A few podiums have definitely helped our confidence grow as a team and I feel like I’m maturing as a rider as well.
“I’m really excited to try to make the most out of this last little bit of the season and be ready to start next year off as strong as we are right now.”
Miller won a new contract in August, ending months of speculation about his spot with the Italian team, with five-time world champion Jorge Lorenzo reported to have been keen to replace the Queenslander.
In a further boost to his confidence and his chances of pushing higher in world championship standings, Miller will ride a GP20 Ducati next year – the same used by factory team riders Andrea Dovizioso and Danilo Petrucci.
“I’m excited to see what the updates are going to be on the GP20,” Miller said.
“The boys at Ducati are working really hard, so I’m really happy to be in this position knowing what I’m going into next year.
“They’ve gathered a lot of data this year and I think they’ll be making some good changes to next year’s bike, which is pretty exciting.
“I think we’re in a good way at the minute.”
JACK MILLER’S 2019 MOTOGP SEASON AT A GLANCE:
* Age: 24
* Team: Pramac Racing Ducati
* World championship: 8th (125 points)
* Best result: 3rd (R3 – GP of the Americas, R10 – Czech Republic, R14 – Aragon)
* Best qualifying: 2nd (R10 – Czech Republic)
* DNF: 4 (R1 – Qatar, R4 – Jerez, R6 – Mugello, R11 – Austria)