MILLER’S MOTOGP HOME FAREWELL ENDS WITHOUT A RACE

Jack Miller’s planned MotoGP farewell in front of his home crowd at Phillip Island ended without a race. The Australian and Pramac had prepared a special livery for his final home Grand Prix, but poor visibility prevented the medical helicopter from operating safely. The Australian GP was cancelled, leaving Miller to show the design only during a lap behind the Safety Car.

After the riders stopped on the start-finish straight, Miller addressed the crowd from in front of the main grandstand, visibly emotional. He threw his boots and knee sliders towards the fans and said: “What can I say? It’s not nice.” He apologised to those who had waited through the difficult conditions for a possible start, adding: “You’ve really been through something today. I’m sorry. At least we could go out on track once more. But it’s hard to accept the situation.”

Miller had hoped for rain over the weekend, making the cancellation especially frustrating when wet weather arrived but racing still proved impossible. “I wished for rain all weekend. Now the rain came, but we can’t race. That’s really tough. You fans deserved better,” he said.

He also thanked supporters for making the trip despite traffic and the poor weather: “You’ve kept making the journey, sat in traffic and put up with the bloody weather. You’re really great, thank you!”

Although the moment marked the end of Miller’s MotoGP home appearances, it was not a final goodbye to Phillip Island. He is due back at the circuit at the end of February as a Yamaha factory rider in the Superbike World Championship, giving him another chance to race in front of Australian fans.