Jack Miller on the Suzuka 8 Hours: Why less set-up means more fun

Jack Miller is used to adapting to different motorbikes. Alongside his long Grand Prix career, the Australian has competed in the Australian Superbike Championship, amongst other series, and has even taken part in motocross races. However, the prestigious Suzuka 8 Hours presents a particular challenge: three riders have to share a single motorbike.

Miller has competed in the endurance classic in Japan three times so far. He made his debut in 2017 for the HARC-PRO Honda team. In the past two years, he has returned to Suzuka with the Yamaha works team, finishing the race in second place on both occasions.

Miller’s adaptability

For Miller, the very need to make compromises when it comes to set-up is part of the appeal of endurance racing. Unlike in MotoGP, the motorbike cannot be fully tailored to the individual preferences of a single rider. “I think I’m quite good at adapting to other riders’ motorbikes,” Miller explained in an interview with colleagues from ‘Crash.net’. “Ultimately, at Suzuka, you have to ride someone else’s motorbike, so to speak.”

In doing so, a rider must accept that whilst they may like certain characteristics, the bike may not meet their expectations in other areas. It is therefore crucial to adapt to the strengths of the shared set-up and make the best of it.

Jack Miller auf der Werks-Yamaha mit der Nummer 21

Foto: Yamaha

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For Miller, this is precisely where the special appeal lies. “You just have to get on the bike and ride. It’s actually quite fun because it takes all the thinking away: ‘Should we change this or that?’”

Instead of constantly thinking about the next set-up change, the five-time MotoGP winner is once again focusing more on his own performance. “You just concentrate on riding and on what you can do as a rider,” explained the Pramac Yamaha rider.

For Miller, the foray into the World Endurance Championship therefore also offers a contrast to the highly complex technical demands of everyday life in MotoGP. “It’s nice to take a step back, approach a race from a different angle and simply work on what you can control yourself – and that’s basically the way you ride the motorbike.”

The Suzuka circuit thrills Miller

This year’s edition of the Suzuka 8 Hours put Miller to the test once again. The race took place in difficult conditions in the rain. The Australian also completed two stints in quick succession. “It was good, but difficult,” Miller reflected. Eight hours in those conditions must have felt like an eternity, especially as the back-to-back stints meant he spent a lot of time on the Yamaha R1.

In the end, he secured second place once again alongside Andrea Locatelli and Katsuyuki Nakasuga. Despite the rigours of the race, Miller enjoyed his time in Japan. “Suzuka is an incredible event,” enthused the 31-year-old. The Japanese fans and the organisation in particular left a lasting impression on him once again.

Miller is also a fan of the circuit itself – at least on an endurance bike. “I love racing at Suzuka. The circuit is phenomenal, especially on the endurance bikes.”

Miller, however, considers the historic circuit unsuitable for the current MotoGP prototypes. “Don’t get me wrong, I think the track is too small for MotoGP bikes. But it definitely works with the endurance bikes – and it’s great fun.”

For Miller, part of the appeal lies precisely in having to do without technical perfection tailored to the individual rider: rather than constantly adapting the motorbike to his own preferences, at Suzuka the rider also has to adapt to the motorbike.