Marco Bezzecchi
Francesco Bagnaia speaks highly of Jack Miller as both a person and a teammate. They shared a garage for four straight seasons between 2019 and 2022.
One year after Miller joined Pramac, a rookie Bagnaia arrived, fresh off winning the Moto2 title. The Australian had the edge at Paolo Campinoti’s team initially, finishing in the top eight twice while his teammate battled in the lower midfield.
But the battle swung in Bagnaia’s favour when they stepped up to the factory team Ducati together. He finished as the runner-up behind Fabio Quartararo in 2021, then won the championship himself in 2022.
Has Jack Miller’s MotoGP career been better or worse than you expected?
Francesco Bagnaia raves about ‘extremely genuine’ Jack Miller
Speaking on The BSMT podcast, Bagnaia recalled Miller helping him in his title battle with Quartararo.
‘Thriller’ lost his seat at the end of 2022 as Ducati signed Enea Bastianini. After two years with the KTM factory squad, he has now returned to Pramac, this time riding a Yamaha.
Bagnaia says the two riders remain close after enjoying their extended stint together. Miller has been praised for his leadership at Pramac, where he is now helping World Superbike convert Toprak Razgatlioglu adapt.
What do you expect from Jack Miller at Pramac in 2026?
“Miller is a fantastic person,” said Bagnaia. “For me, he is an extremely genuine and fantastic person. Even today, we really chat a lot.
“There was a race where he let me pass, but he was fantastic in everything.”
Jack Miller’s opinion on Francesco Bagnaia’s struggles at Ducati
“It’s a confidence thing, it’s a feeling thing,” Miller explained when he was asked about Bagnaia’s drop-off last year (via Crash.net).
Miller chased Bagnaia during a Sprint at Aragon and noticed that he was ‘rather neutral with the bike’ due to a lack of ‘trust’. He wasn’t able to ‘use his body’ like he did in his pomp.
After slipping to fifth in the 2025 standings, Bagnaia made a disappointing start to the new season with a ninth-place finish in Thailand.
It’s widely expected that Bagnaia will lose his Ducati seat when his contract expires at the end of the season, with Pedro Acosta coming in. A move to Aprilia beckons for the #63.
Miller doesn’t miss the constant pressure at Ducati, which is exactly what Bagnaia has been facing since his crisis intensified.
Receive racing news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
