The Mobility Resort Motegi witnessed a dramatic turn of events as the climate took a severe and unpredictable shift, resulting in a shortened Grand Prix of Japan. In this weather-interrupted race, Jack Miller displayed his mettle by securing a commendable 6th place in the final classification for round fourteen of the twenty-round MotoGP championship.

Jack Miller’s Strong Finish

Despite the challenging conditions, Jack Miller managed to maintain his composure and clinch a top-six finish. The race was cut short due to the unpredictable weather, making it a remarkable feat for Miller to secure this position in the final classification.

Brad Binder’s Unfortunate Exit

In contrast to Miller’s performance, Brad Binder faced a setback in this rain-lashed affair. Just five laps into the race, Binder lost control of his bike and skidded into Turn 3. This unfortunate incident forced the race organizers to red-flag the event due to the severity of the conditions, bringing his race to an abrupt end.

Red Bull KTM’s Progress

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing had initially shown great promise, with both Brad Binder and Jack Miller securing 3rd and 5th positions on the starting grid, setting the stage for a pursuit of victory and podium finishes. Brad Binder had even broken the circuit lap record during Friday’s practice sessions. However, as the field assembled for the race, rain began to fall, leading to the race being declared ‘flag to flag.’ This prompted both Binder and Miller, like many of their competitors, to pit and switch to wet tires.

Challenging Conditions

While Miller persevered and managed to hold onto the 6th position, the deteriorating track conditions ultimately led to the race being red-flagged, and the Grand Prix couldn’t be restarted due to sections of the circuit remaining extremely wet and the fading light.

Championship Standings

In the championship standings, Brad Binder currently sits in 4th place, with a 64-point gap to the top three riders. Jack Miller occupies the 9th position. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing is the 4th best team in the current rankings, and KTM retains 2nd position in the Constructors’ table.

Looking Ahead

The teams and riders will now have a well-deserved break before they gear up for the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia at the Mandalika Street Circuit in mid-October.

Jack Miller’s Reflection

Reflecting on his performance, Jack Miller shared, “Not the best day but also not the worst, and I’m happy we finished. It took some time for the tires to get going in the first part, and I managed to save the rubber while gaining some time on the guys as the rain started to fall harder. We made a couple of tweaks to the bike to try and challenge those boys for the restart, but it wasn’t meant to be today. 6th place today, but I wanted more.”

Brad Binder’s Perspective

Brad Binder said, “Overall, I think we had a positive weekend here in Japan. We were fast in all sessions, and to bring home a podium in the Sprint yesterday was fantastic. But unfortunately today, it was tricky with the weather conditions, and we came in after the first lap for the bike swap. I started to feel good in the rain and with good pace, but I had a small lock going into Turn 3, and that was it. Thank you to my team for their hard work. We’ll try and make up for it next time around.”

Francesco Guidotti, Red Bull KTM Team Manager’s Take

Francesco Guidotti, Red Bull KTM Team Manager, summarized the day as “a strange Sunday.” He commented, “Having a flag-to-flag after one lap meant that a delayed start might have been a better decision, but it is like it is. No wet practice during the weekend meant we were quite conservative with our settings and electronics. It’s a shame. We had a very good GP from Friday until this afternoon. After the Quali and the Sprint yesterday, our expectations were high. In conditions like these, anything can happen. It was a weird and tricky situation, but our riders gave their best.”
Jack Miller, 6th: “Not the best day but also not the worst and I’m happy we finished. It took some time for the tires to get going in the first part and I managed to save the rubber while gaining some time on the guys as the rain started to fall harder. We made a couple of tweaks to the bike to try and challenge those boys for the restart but it wasn’t meant to be today. 6th place today but I wanted more.”

Results MotoGP Grand Prix of Japan

1. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati 24.06.314
2. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati +1.413
3. Marc Marquez (ESP) Honda +2.013
6. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +6.837
DNF. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

World championship standings MotoGP

1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati, 319 points
2. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati 316
3. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA) Ducati, 265
4. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 201
9. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 125