Miller: 'Some truth' to Lorenzo, Ducati rumours
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Jack Miller thinks there is ‘some truth’ to the shock rumours that talks are underway between Jorge Lorenzo and Ducati about a return to the Italian factory next season.After three MotoGP titles with Yamaha, Lorenzo joined Ducati in 2017 and went on to win three races last season – but only after the decision had been made to join a Repsol Honda ‘dream team’ alongside reigning champion Marc Marquez in 2019.However, Lorenzo is yet to gel with the front-end feeling and physical nature of the RCV, not helped by a succession of injuries, including back fractures that have sidelined him since Assen.Without even a top-ten finish, there were whispers Lorenzo wants out of his two-year Repsol Honda contract and made enquiries about a sensational comeback to his previous role as Andrea Dovizioso’s Ducati team-mate.That came to nothing when the Spaniard’s replacement, Mugello winner Danilo Petrucci, duly re-signed for the official team.But it seems the chance of Lorenzo being back on a Ducati next year is still alive – and explains the delay in confirming Jack Miller’s future, with Lorenzo now linked to the Australian’s factory seat at the satellite Pramac team.”I think there is some truth to the rumours about Lorenzo,” Miller said on Thursday at the Red Bull Ring.”For sure, he’s looking at something because at the moment he’s got nothing. He can’t ride that Honda. So it’s easy to tuck your tail between your legs and run back.”I think that Pramac love me, want to keep me, most people in Ducati want to keep me. [But] I’ve got to make sense of why we’re in Austria – quite well into the second half of the season and I’ve two podiums under my belt – and I’ve still not signed a contract.”Most of the [contract] details have been sorted, Pramac has agreed to everything they’ve been asked to agree to, but still no contract has arrived… We’ll wait and see and all I can do is keep doing my best,” added Miller, who is currently seventh in the world championship and the top satellite rider.”This is my first year on the latest material in MotoGP and this is the most competitive era it’s ever been in and I’ve scored two podiums and been in front of those [top] guys on multiple occasions.”I feel that I’ve been doing everything I can do in order get myself a job. I’m not stressed at all.”Since the Pramac rider contracts are directly with Ducati, it is the factory that has the final say on the satellite team line-up.Pressed on who at Ducati is yet to give the green light on his new contract, Miller said only: “Nearly everyone in Ducati wants to keep me. Some people have fond memories [of Lorenzo]… but like I said, I’m not stressed. I’m just here to do my job.”Ducati Corse general manager Gigi Dall’Igna was known to be the driving force behind the original signing of Lorenzo.With the Dovizioso-Ducati title challenge melting in the face of domination by Marquez this season, might Dall’Igna feel Ducati needs Lorenzo back just as much as he needs them?It would depend on Lorenzo being released/bought out of the HRC contract and prepared to become a satellite rider for the first time in his MotoGP career.Meanwhile, Lorenzo’s exit would free-up a factory Honda place, for which Miller would be by far the best qualified of the few riders yet to sign for 2020.Honda plucked Miller from Moto3 directly to MotoGP in 2015 and he won a wet race at Assen the following year, but joined Pramac Ducati in 2018 after his contract wasn’t renewed under former HRC team manager Livio Suppo.One rumour that Miller did stamp out was that, if Lorenzo returns, he would move to the Ducati World Superbike team.”4″I’ve not thought about World Superbikes. It’s not crossed my mind, I’ve just started going well here and I’ve not thought about leaving.”Miller’s rookie team-mate Francesco Bagnaia is in the first year of a two-year contract.Lorenzo, winner last season in Austria, is planning a return to MotoGP action at Silverstone later this month.
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