Miller: ‘My balls copped a bit of a hiding’ in Phillip Island crash

The Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix has left Jack Miller a little worse for wear after the Ducati rider was crashed out of the race by Alex Marquez.

Miller had been on an early charge at Phillip Island, making his way through the field with his eyes set on third before eventually settling and maintaining his tyres for the latter stages, which the factory pilot never saw.

On the ninth lap, he was hit from behind after a mistake from Alex Marquez sent the LCR Honda rider clattering into the #43 machine at newly-christened Miller Corner, an incident which was to be investigated post-race.

UPDATE: Marquez penalised

Miller was thrown backwards violently and slid across the track, the impact of which has left him a little bit bruised, particularly his lower region which was jammed against the Ducati’s fuel tank.

“I feel like I’ve been run over by a motorbike that’s for certain but nah I’m alright,” he said on Fox Sports, shortly after the race.

“My balls have copped a bit of a hiding where they got jammed against the tank and the calf’s a bit sore but it’s all good.”

The Townsville-born rider was enjoying his early progress when the unexpected collision both took him out of the race and out of championship contention.

“Bike felt mega, was able to charge forwards as much as I felt necessary at that point in the race and yeah was just trying to maintain,” he recounted.

“Just going through the motions as you do at that middle part of the race and got slammed from the rear. I mean came out of nowhere nothing I could do about it.

“That’s racing sometimes, that’s all we can say.”

Miller had been 40 points behind the championship lead coming into the Australian round and while he was a longshot at the title, he is now mathematically out of the fight.

“The championship’s sorta out of contention but if we can just try and focus on moving up one or two more positions it’d be lovely,” he remarked.

It was Miller’s first time at a Phillip Island race for the Ducati factory team after COVID forced the cancellation of the previous two Australian Grands Prix.

“I’m beyond devastated to finish the home grand prix like this after three years of not being here but it is what it is, you can’t change the past,” he stated.

Miller will next head to Sepang for the penultimate MotoGP round on October 21-23.