Since he arrived in Suzuka to participate in the 46th edition of the 8 Hours, nothing can upset the calm and the smile of Jack Miller, not even the two falls he suffered during qualifying.
The latest, during the Top 10 Trial, which was to determine the order of the first ten bikes on the grid this morning, occurred beforeAndrea Locatelli fails to qualify the official Yamaha 26 thousandths of a second behind the Honda #30 Johann zarco, thus saving the situation for the Yamaha Racing Team.
However, it seemed to confirm that the Australian driver, although he himself admits to taking great pleasure in riding the R1, does not yet know all its subtleties, as he had already discovered the day before during the second qualifying session with a very spectacular fall.
This happened at the first corner of the figure-eight circuit, sending the R1 to an unbelievable height. The bike was destroyed, but the rider was unharmed, still smiling and calm.
“Yes, everything is fine. Honestly, I have a lot of trouble braking the bike there, and we were a little too soft on the front. In full attack mode, we ask for a little more, and she said 'no more'.
No, it's been a good day so far, and luckily I'm okay. Turn 1 is a fast spot and the wall is pretty close, so I'm glad I didn't hit it."
he entrusted to Xavier Simeon, reporter E.W.C., a few moments after his fall.
"Jack has a tough life. To ride the YZF-R1 well, he has to change his riding style compared to the YZR-M1, his usual MotoGP machine."explain Wataru Yoshikawa, team principal. According to him, the YZR-M1 is a machine that requires very hard braking, fast cornering and wide open throttle, therefore very aggressive driving. The YZF-R1, on the other hand, requires smooth, careful and efficient driving. The two machines have diametrically opposed characteristics, and Jack Miller will have to adapt his mindset and his driving style.
“It was my first time riding an EWC-spec YZF-R1, and it was my first race at Suzuka Circuit since the Suzuka 8 Hours in 2017. We’re also switching from Michelin MotoGP tires to Bridgestones, so there’s a lot to learn,” had announced the headliner of the Yamaha Racing Team during the tests.
There is now very little time left to learn, and there will only be one machine left in the race...
