MILLER JACKED UP FOR HOME RACE

Aussie star Jack Miller hopes to follow in the footsteps of Casey Stoner and win his home Grand Prix on board a Ducati when MotoGP makes a long-awaited return to Phillip Island this weekend.

The Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix returns to the famous 4.445km circuit for the first time in three years and all the home fans will be dressed in red supporting #43.

It will be the first and only chance Miller has to race at home for the famous Italian factory team, which Stoner won the 2007 world championship and four-straight Australian Grands Prix with.

The current Australian star enters his home race in the middle of a hot streak as he does his best to keep his “long shot” championship hopes alive.

Miller enters his home race 40 points behind leader and defending champion Fabio Quartararo in fifth place, but no rider has scored more than the Australian in the last three races.

Ducati’s Jack Miller charges towards Phillip Island in hot form after winning in Japan. Photo by Gold and Goose / LAT Images)

The #43 was unstoppable in Japan, climbing from seventh to first within four laps in the ride of his life.

Miller then backed up the stunning win with a second-place finish at the last race in Thailand, where he finished just 0.7s behind winner Miguel Oliveira.

These results have made the Australian start to dream of a home win after standing on the podium in his previous home race on board a satellite Ducati in 2019.

“Knowing how our bike is behaving now in the faster corners, as long as I’ve been at Ducati we’ve got the best possible package this year to challenge for a victory at Phillip Island,” Miller told the official Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix program. 

“That would be my dream come true. Being on the podium in 2019, the atmosphere was ridiculous. 

“I think there’s going to be a massive turnout this year, and that’s definitely the one that’s highlighted in my calendar.”

Australian youngster Remy Gardner is excited ahead of his home race in the premier class. Photo by Gold and Goose / LAT Images)

Miller is not the only Australian racing in the premier class this year, with Remy Gardner, son of 1987 500cc world champion Wayne, also racing for Tech3.

But the modern day Gardner will be experiencing mixed emotions racing in his first Australian Grand Prix in the premier class, and possibly his last.

The 2021 Moto2 world champion will turn his attention to the Superbike World Championship in 2023, having been dumped by Tech3 earlier this year.

Despite the disappointment of how his maiden MotoGP season has played out, Gardner – who currently sits 23rd in the championship ahead of teammate Raul Fernandez – said he cannot wait to ride on the track where his passion for the sport began.

“Phillip Island is going to be amazing on one of these things, I’m pretty sure of that,” he said on Fox Sports.com.

“The first time I ever saw a MotoGP race was at Phillip Island. I remember meeting Valentino (Rossi) that day and I said, ‘I want to do that’. So coming back this year as a (Moto2) world champion is going to be a very special.”

Unlike in 2019 when Marc Marquez was cruising towards a sixth MotoGP crown in seven seasons, the championship arrives down under on a knife’s edge.

Championship leader Fabio Quartararo is feeling the pressure as MotoGP returns to Phillip Island this weekend. Photo by Gold and Goose / LAT Images)

Quartararo holds a slim two-point advantage over nearest rival Francesco Bagnaia and the pair are not expected to stop swinging until the season finale in Valencia.

All eyes will be on how the Yamaha star goes about his title defence across the final three races after he disappeared from all media duties following the Thai Grand Prix where his points lead evaporated due to a disappointing P17 finish.

Quartararo has scored just eight points in the last three races, while Bagnaia has outscored him 111-47 since the summer break.

Miller’s teammate Bagnaia carries all of the momentum and Yamaha must respond at a track where Ducati has not won since the days of Stoner.

But the likes of Alex Espargaro, Enea Bastianini and Miller are all still mathematical chances and could throw in a curveball to the top two, while Marquez cannot be discounted having won three times at Phillip Island and scored top five finishes in his last two races as he continues to recover from arm surgery.

With two Australians to cheer on, and a titanic championship battle to be decided, everything points towards a memorable MotoGP return to Phillip Island.

Practice kicks off tomorrow, before qualifying and the race take centre stage on Saturday and Sunday respectively.

2022 MotoGP championship standings

1 Fabio Quartararo     219 points

2 Francesco Bagnaia 217

3 Aliex Espargaro      199

4 Enea Bastianini      180

5 Jack Miller              179

For more of the latest motorsport news pick up the latest issue of AUTO ACTION.