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Jack Miller has no hard feelings towards Ducati ahead of the first round since he re-signed with Pramac after a protracted process involving Jorge Lorenzo.
Miller had been expected to renew with Pramac Racing until rumours of Lorenzo making a shock exit from Honda to ride a Ducati again emerged at the last event in Austria.
It was the Ducati hierarchy rather than Pramac itself which had reportedly expressed interest in having Lorenzo back, and Miller himself stated at the time, “Nearly everybody in Ducati wants to keep me. Some people have fond memories.”
However, Lorenzo, who returns from injury this weekend at Silverstone, will ultimately stay put at Repsol Honda and Miller has now inked a new deal to ride a Desmosedici GP20 at Pramac in 2020.
“Do I look more relaxed? Maybe a little, maybe less pissed off let’s say that. I’m happy,” said Miller.
“First of all, I want to start by saying I cannot thank Paolo Campinoti (Pramac CEO) for everything he has done especially when it came to pushing for me.
“He really had my back through the whole thing so for sure he is the biggest guy I need to thank, between him and Francesco Guidotti (team manager), they did a great job and really had my back through the whole situation.
“It is business and they are trying to win races which I completely understand so I just hope that I can prove that I am to do so.
“I am more of a sweep it under the rug kind of guy. Push the shit under the rug and leave it there.
“In this paddock if you get butthurt from everything that goes on like that you are not going to be here very long. For me, it is business.”
Miller also confirmed that he had been approached by KTM after a struggling Johann Zarco opted to quit his contract a year early.
The Queenslander has favourable history with the Austrian marque, having finished runner-up in Moto3 with Red Bull KTM Ajo before making the leap to MotoGP.
However, with KTM’s MotoGP project still very much a work in progress, Miller did not want to take the risk of riding an RC16 at this point in time.
“I had to think about it, KTM are a great manufacturer and I’ve had a lot of success with them in the past and I have a great relationship with Mr Pierer (Stefan, KTM CEO) and Pit Beirer (KTM motorsport director),” said the 24-year-old.
“I have a really good relationship with them and it was kind of tough to turn it down in that way.
“But for me to take a risk at this point in my career when things just start to get on track, getting some podiums and getting to where I’d like to be, it seems like in my career I have always done that.
“I just start to go well and then challenge myself immediately again, I throw myself back under the bus. I would like to spend some time not under the bus and inside a seat.”
Practice for the British MotoGP starts this evening (AEST).
