A pre-season training crash has made the first seven rounds of the 2016 MotoGP™ World Championship a difficult affair for Jack Miller (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS), a crash in Austin aggravating the injury. But Sunday’s race at the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya showed there’s more to come from Miller. The 25-lap race saw him adjust to ever-worsening grip levels, working his way through the field at a steady pace and having some nice battles along the way. Although he would cross the line in 11th place, a one place penalty for Hector Barbera (Avintia Racing) promoted Miller to the top ten, his first in the premier class.
"My guys have stuck with me all through a difficult first part of the season and I’m happy for the team"Miller and the rest of the paddock remained in Barcelona on Monday for the second post-race test of the year. He completed 48 laps and set a best time of 1’47.005 to end the day 17th. In Qualifying Miller had done a 1'45.942. The Motul TT Assen takes place almost three weeks after Barcelona, giving Miller’s ankle even more time to heal.
Jack Miller: “I’m really happy to be back in the points and I had a big fight throughout the race and really enjoyed it. I tried to conserve my tyres because I knew we would lose some grip in the hot conditions and it was a strategy that paid off. I definitely feel like I got the most potential out of the bike today. I tried to save the tyres in Jerez and I probably conserved them too much and felt I could have pushed more. I gave it my all and I used the whole performance potential of the rear tyre. To finish in the top 10 for the first time in my MotoGP career is a really big boost for me. My guys have stuck with me all through a difficult first part of the season and I’m happy for the team. And I dedicate my first top 10 in MotoGP to my friend Luis Salom, who I will miss greatly.”