The four-time MotoGP race winner was taken by surprise when, he says, KTM originally told him it wanted to re-sign him, only to miss out on a berth at Tech3 to Enea Bastianini and Maverick Viñales.

A mooted return to Honda also looks to have come to nought thanks to Joan Mir’s change of heart, leaving no room at the Japanese marque’s factory team.

Miller, though, is unperturbed and even implied he has “options” as to where he goes next year.

“I feel like with the options we have on the table at the moment there’s a good spot for me in MotoGP already,” said ‘Jackass’.

“I will be 30 next year. I still feel I’ve got more to give here in MotoGP.

“Despite not really getting along with the bike, we’re still consistently inside the top 10. We’ve been there with these guys and I feel like I still have the speed of these guys.

“Yes the ball is constantly moving and the bar is constantly being raised but I feel like I’m still stepping up to the plate and trying my best week in, week out.

“If we can get a competitive package or an interesting package… it’s just a matter of weighing up my options and what’s going to be best for me in my career.

“Fortunately enough for me, I haven’t burned any bridges here in the paddock so I can walk into the majority of teams and have a chat.”

Speedcafe understands that Miller is in the frame for a contract with Gresini Racing, putting him back on a Ducati two years after he left the Bologna marque’s factory team.

The Queenslander did little to dispel the speculation.

“Obviously going to a Ducati is very, very interesting because I know the bike very well, I know the structure very well, I have no doubts that I could get back on that bike and be inside the top five almost instantly,” he declared.

“But a lot of things are changing in MotoGP come ‘27 and working on a project and looking for a long-term home to finish out my last strong years in MotoGP and working towards a common goal, which I thought we had but we didn’t [at KTM], is one of those things that we need to weigh up.

“I have money in my account. I don’t have to worry about that. I’m very fortunate. So it’s not about money, it’s about what I want for my career and for myself personally.”

MotoGP introduces sweeping new technical regulations in 2027 and Miller has previously argued he deserved to stay within the KTM ranks, even if he was demoted from the factory team, due to his value in developing a motorcycle.

However, he has no interest in being a test rider yet.

“I don’t think of myself as a test rider,” said Miller.

“I couldn’t, I enjoy this too much, I enjoy racing.

“I don’t enjoy the testing side of it, I do it and I enjoy the work because you’re working towards a goal.

“But just going round and round in circles on a motorbike doesn’t interest me.

“Going out there and competing with 22 other bikes is what I do this for.

“Who knows in the future, but for the moment all I want to do is race my bike.”