Miller misses automatic Q2 spot after a difficult practice
Phil Branagan
Friday, 18 October 2024
The 29-year-old from Townsville hit the deck twice.
Jack Miller has his work cut out for him after a difficult Friday practice session for the Qatar Airways Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix 2024.
In his last weekend on home soil as a Red Bull KTM factory rider, Miller was 12th fastest in practice and will have to go through Qualifying 1 on Saturday to make it into the second session, which will determine the top 12 grid slots for Saturday’s Tissot Sprint and Sunday’s MotoGP™.
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The 29-year-old from Townsville hit the deck twice during the single 60-minute practice session, which was topped by the Marquez brothers, Marc ahead of Alex. Miller usually has something special for his home Grand Prix, and with only two riders making it through from Q1, he will need to be on his best form to advance.
In a fully wet opening Moto2™ session, Senna Agius slithered around to P11 on his Kalex. At the same time, debutant Harrison Voight, who only got called up to replace the injured Dani Munoz at the Preicanos Racing Team on Thursday, took his time acclimatising to the Kalex in 20th place.
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In the second session they lined up 15th and 16th, respectively, an impressive performance from the Queenslander Voight to be so close to Liverpool, NSW’s Agius, who has more Moto2™ experience. Both will be looking to progress from Q1, to join the pack chasing down Fermin Aldegeur (Boscoscuro), who led the times.
The tricky conditions were hard on the two Aussies in the Moto3™ sessions, with Darwin’s Joel Kelso 16th in the opening practice session and Jacob Roulstone 21st. The afternoon practice session started on a wet track but by the middle of the session, the times improved on those put up in the morning. Kelso’s KTM finished the session in 10th and will go straight through to the second Qualifying session on Saturday. Roulstone (GasGas) was in 22nd place so he will have to go through Q1.
Colombian ace David Alonso, who already has the Moto3™ title sealed up, led the first session, but in the second, he had to settle for second to rising star Angel Piqueras (Honda), who was a whole second clear of his pursuers.
In qualifying for the Oceania Junior Cup, Nikolas Lazos will start Saturday’s race from pole position. The 13-year-old from Melbourne topped the times 0.047s ahead of Western Australian Rossi McAdam and Ethan Johnson from Heath Hill (which almost makes him a Phillip Island local!)
