Miller leading Aussie assault on the island
The bikes are back at Phillip Island and there are plenty of Aussies to cheer on this weekend, led by KTM MotoGP star Jack Miller, plus Senna Agius, Harrison Voight, Joel Kelso and Jacob Roulstone in the junior categories.
The 2024 Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix will be the second and last time Miller will ride a KTM around the sensational seaside circuit before his move to PRAMAC Yamaha.
The 29-year-old will carry the weight of a nation, but arrives on the back foot in his toughest season since 2016.
Miller sits 15th in the standings after a tough year battling vibrations on his RC16.
However, there are plenty of reasons for promise after Miller appeared to turn a corner last start in Motegi, Japan.
The #43 finished 10th, just his third top 10 result of the season so far.
Miller also has fond memories of Phillip Island, standing on the podium with PRAMAC Ducati in 2018 and winning the Moto3 race four years earlier.
Jack Miller speaks at Phillip Island on Thursday. Image: Gold and Goose
With heavy rain set to impact Friday’s practice and make mastering bike set-up more of a guessing game, Miller believes the unpredictability could play into his hands.
“It is one of those tracks where even if you are having some slight issues, you can mask it a little bit around here, so fingers crossed we can get away to a solid weekend,” Miller said.
“I think anything is (realistic). It looks like weather conditions will be a bit iffy for at least Friday and Saturday.
“The least amount of dry time, the better.
“I always feel I hit the ground running and we have been struggling all season to make progress from FP1, so the least amount of dry track time will help.
“The speed is usually there from the get-go and it’s more how to make those micro-improvements over the weekend.”
Channel 10 MotoGP expert and Australian 500cc race winner Darryl Beattie believes the Japan result and home crowd should give Miller an extra boost.
“At the end of the day the big thing is about tweaking the set-up and confidence and when your rider has those things, they are beaming and can push that end of the envelope,” Beattie told AUTO ACTION.
“But when you are not in that zone it just does not happen and Jack has not been in that zone.
“Japan was a big positive and coming home he will have a spring in his step.
“He has positive news for next year and let’s hope he starts Friday on the front foot and it just keeps rolling through the weekend.
“We know how good he can be in changing conditions.”
Harrison Voight ready for his Moto2 debut.
After a late twist, the Aussie Moto2 field has doubled with Harrison Voight joining Senna Agius.
Voight has been thrown in the deep end, being confirmed as Dani Munoz’s replacement at Preicanos Racing Team just 15 hours before FP1.
The 18-year-old arrives from the Australian SuperBike Championship and sits 11th in the championship despite only starting three of the six rounds, but took a victory at Phillip Island.
This is due to Voight also competing in JuniorGP in Europe for Yamaha where he is a regular in the top 10.
“I’m so happy to announce that i’ll make my Moto2 World Championship debut at Phillip Island, filling in for Dani Munoz,” Voight wrote on social media.
“This has always been a childhood dream for me to race at home in the world championship. Im thrilled and can’t wait to get on track.”
Agius is in the middle of a maiden full Moto2 campaign after making eight one-off starts across 2022 and 2023.
Senna Agius on his Husqvarna Intact GP at Twin Ring Motegi. Photo by Gold and Goose / LAT Images
Riding for Intact GP, the Camden 19-year-old has been a consistent point scorer throughout.
The 2023 FIM Moto2 European Champion has scored three top 10s, highlighted by an impressive fifth at Catalunya.
Agius heads to Phillip Island 17th in the standings, determined to make an impact on home soil for the first time with his future already secured.
In the opening practice session Agius showed promise getting 11th, while Voight survived a very wet maiden session in 20th.
There are also two Australians to watch out for in Moto3.
All eyes will be on Joel Kelso, who wowed fans with an unforgettable ride in docile conditions last year.
Joel Kelso celebrates his Moto3 podium at Phillip Island last year. Image: Thomas Miles AUTO ACTION
In a race where many struggled to stay on their bike amid biblical rain and winds, Kelso stunned and rode his way to an amazing third to thrill the crowd.
Having switched from CFMoto to KTM in 2024, the 21-year-old Darwin rider carried on his momentum.
After starting the year with four straight top 10s, Kelso has scored points in all-but two races this year and been regularly fighting in the leading train.
He has forced his way to three top fives at Portugal, Spain and Aragon.
Whilst he has not quite returned to the podium so far, the memories of last year and home support could be enough to push him back to the very front.
Jacob Roulstone is the other home hero taking part in Moto3 riding with factory support from KTM Tech3.
Roulstone got himself onto the international radar in the 2019 Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup, which led to a chance in the FIM European Talent Cup where he won at Estoril.
Jacob Roulstone in Motegi. image: Gold and Goose / Red Bull Content Pool
After impressing in the Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies Cup and the FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship, Roulstone earned an opportunity to Moto3 this year.
The boy from Figtree took it with both hands, scoring points in his first eight races led by P8s at COTA and Le Mans.
Whilst points have only been possible in two of the last six races, Roulstone still sits 15th in the standings.
The opening practice has already been completed with Kelso 16th and Roulstone 21st.
Keeping a close eye on them all has been Beattie, who knows from personal experience the crowd at Phillip Island makes a difference.
“They have all been doing an amazing job,” he said.
“If I reflect on my first memories in 1989 as a wildcard and a few years later a shot at 250cc on a factory bike, it is so exciting and the fans really do give you a boost.
“It will be no surprise if those guys do really well and they have the talent to do it.
“The confidence of coming to a place you know really well makes a difference to all of them.”
Image: Gold and Goose
2024 Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix
Practice 1: Fri 10.45-11.30 (Fox Sports)
Practice: Fri 15.00-16.00 (Fox Sports)
Practice 2: Sat 10.10-10.40 (Fox Sports)
Qualifying: Sat 10.50-11.30 (Fox Sports)
Sprint: Sat 15.00 13 Laps (Channel 10/Fox Sports)
Warm up: Sun 9.40-9.50 (Fox Sports)
Grand Prix: Sun 14.00 27 laps (Channel 10/Fox Sports)
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