Jack Miller Blames Tyre for Performance Issues, Remains Hopeful for Victories This Season
July 22, 2024, MotoGP – Jack Miller has attributed KTM’s recent struggles in MotoGP to issues with the new rear tyre. Despite a strong performance last year, KTM has experienced a decline this season, currently sitting third in the manufacturers’ standings behind Ducati and Aprilia.
Speaking to PecinoGP, Miller dismissed concerns that KTM has fallen behind the competition. He pointed out that KTM’s last two victories were in wet conditions, emphasizing the impact of the new rear tyre on performance.
“The rear tyre changed, the speeds have increased incredibly,” Miller explained. “We went to Qatar in November last season, and when we came back in February or March this year, we were 1.2s or 1.4s a lap faster. The tyres changed, we know, it’s no secret that the rubber compound changed. When you completely change what is happening with the contact between the bike and the racing surface this much, balancing and understanding how you can put the load on the tyre and electronics gets turned around.”
Despite these challenges, Miller remains optimistic about KTM’s potential. He praised the KTM RC16’s strength and expressed confidence in the team’s ability to find the right setup for the new tyres. “This bike is extremely strong, the engine is strong, it does many things super well. That’s why I’ve never given up hope that we can be fighting for victories this season. It’s a matter of getting the correct setup and understanding what we need to do to make these tyres – specifically this rear tyre – work together with the rest of the combination,” he said.
KTM is determined to bounce back and secure victories as the season progresses, with Miller at the forefront of their efforts.
