Aussie lucky to escape major injury after ‘rodeo’ 190km/h crash
Australia’s Jack Miller was lucky to emerge from the gravel with no injury after he tumbled off his bike in the final minutes of practice at his home Grand Prix.
All eyes were on the local star as he posted to that point the fastest time of the session with 1:28.120, but as he approached his next lap he went tumbling.
Jack Miller tumbles through the gravel at the MotoGP. Fox Sports
Miller was lucky to escape without injuries, although his bike did suffer some damage. Fox Sports
Miller’s bike slid out from beneath him as he entered Doohan Corner travelling at about 190km/h. He rolled five times over the gravel trap and flew up into the air.
“That is a washing machine crash for Miller,” Elliott York said in commentary on Fox Sports.
“Talk about the highs and lows for Jack Miller here, he had just set the fastest time and then was caught there by a gust of wind. That was a rodeo.
“Jack is made of tough stuff but that certainly would’ve rattled him a little bit.”
The 31-year-old was quick to sit up on his knees and signal to nearby medics that he was OK and would not need any assistance walking from the track.
He then pulled off his glove and shook the gravel off his hand as he walked to the edge of the track. From there, marshals transported him back to the pit lane.
In Miller’s absence through the rest of the practice session, Marc Marquez set the fastest lap, shaving 0.135 of a second off the Townsville-born rider’s benchmark.
Raul Fernandez overcame a crash early in the session to finish as the second-fastest rider of the first practice with a time of 1:27.930, seemingly brushing off fears he may have hurt his already injured fingers when he fell on the gravel.
Miller will have less than 24 hours to get ready for Saturday’s qualifying session on the track at Phillip Island, with the Tissot Sprint scheduled to take place after qualifying.
The Australian Grand Prix feature race will begin at 2pm AEDT on Sunday.
