Miller’s manager: ‘Natural’ to be promoted to Ducati factory team

Jack Miller’s manager believes that it would be the “natural way” for the Queenslander to be promoted from Pramac Racing to the factory Ducati Team next year.

Miller’s current contract, which is in fact held by Ducati itself, covers the 2020 MotoGP season only and none of the Bologna marque’s factory rides have yet been locked up for 2021.

Ducati had been interested in prising Maverick Viñales from Yamaha and Alex Rins from Suzuki, but both have already re-signed with those manufacturers.

There had been speculation that Ducati might have shuffled its line-up in the last off-season, which would have entailed handing Danilo Petrucci’s seat to Miller and potentially placing Johann Zarco at Pramac.

The latter has ended up with a Ducati team in Avintia Racing, but Petrucci remains at the factory squad alongside the runner-up of the last three seasons, Andrea Dovizioso.

Miller’s manager, Aki Ajo, is hopeful that his rider will receive the call-up this time around.

“The natural way would be for Jack at Pramac to be promoted to the Ducati factory team for the coming season,” Ajo told German publication Speedweek.

“But so far nothing has been signed.

“Jack is free for the 2021 season, he can go wherever he wants. Ducati has no option on him at the moment.”

Miller himself has already expressed confidence that “other seats” would be available if Ducati is to overlook him, but stated that his main goal is to find himself on a red bike in 2021.

Ajo echoed those sentiments, adding, “But Jack is very happy with Ducati and it would be logical if he stayed there.”

Dorna Sports hopes to finally kick off the premier class season of 2020 in late-July, following the most recent cancellations of rounds in Germany, The Netherlands, and Finland.