Jack MIller’s home race, KTM, research and development, Phillip Island, victory battle

Jack Miller is hoping his upgraded KTM can put up a fight against the dominant Ducati at his home Australian Grand Prix this weekend.

Miller has had a roller coaster debut season with the Austrian brand, coming out of the blocks with a fourth round podium but losing his way midway through the campaign.

Ducati, meanwhile, has won all but three of 15 races so far this season, with Miller’s former factory team winning six via title leader Francesco Bagnaia.

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It took until last month for the four-time race winner to return to form, thanks in part to a day of post-race testing in Rimini to iron out his issues.

But an improved KTM chassis also plays a role, and Miller is optimistic the new frame could pay off big at his home race.

While other teams use an aluminum chassis, KTM is the only one currently using a full carbon fiber design, having used a steel frame this season.

It’s a feather in the cap of KTM engineers, with Ducati having previously abandoned carbon fiber as an option after having difficulty with settings.

Aprilia is reportedly developing a full carbon chassis but is not yet ready to use it.

Neither Miller nor teammate Brad Binder have finished a Grand Prix lower than seventh or qualified outside the top 10 since the upgrade, and the improved machines give the Australian optimism that his second MotoGP podium at home could be up for grabs this weekend.

“The bike has been working really well lately,” he said. “I feel very comfortable.

“I had good pace in Japan and Indonesia. I’m looking forward to moving forward on that this weekend and taking on some challenges. [the leaders].”

Miller was particularly motivated by the improved rear grip generated by the carbon fiber chassis.

Rear grip is crucial for lap times on the high-speed Phillip Island track, and more grip also means more confidence, which will be crucial if the weather conditions prove to be as murky as the forecast suggests.

“The improvements we have made have been beneficial only between Motegi and Indonesia since we have been operating it,” he explained. “The level of grip in Motegi is extremely high and the level of grip in Indonesia was not extremely high. [but] we had very good sensations in these two conditions.

“At Motegi we had good pace in the dry sprint race, and of course with the wet race cut short I felt like I had more to give in this race.

“Indonesia was probably our best performance this year in terms of low grip tracks.

“I feel quietly confident for the weekend, but there are a lot of fast guys on the grid and a lot of fast bikes, so we will do our best to match these boys.”

At the very least, Miller hopes running in front of his home fans will give him a boost that could make a difference.

“I can’t wait to get back here,” he said. “It’s great to be back home.

“Coming back to the island is always nice, especially when traveling [sunny] day like today.

“I think on behalf of everyone in the paddock, we really enjoyed the weather today. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that it lasts a few more days.

He is unlikely to make this wish come true, but his other predictions are unlikely to come true.