Pramac Ducati rider Jack Miller said that he and new factory recruit Danilo Petrucci will act as “a step in between” tester Michele Pirro and team leader Andrea Dovizioso.
Pramac has been given a latest-spec Ducati for the second season in a row, with Miller taking factory-bound Petrucci’s role as the team’s leader for 2019.
Miller said that, like Petrucci last year, he will take part in testing and evaluating the parts the factory develops.
However he believes that Petrucci, despite joining the factory team, will continue to do the same as the Italian and Miller will support lead rider Dovizioso.
“We have quite a close relationship between our team and the Ducati factory especially in terms of the testing department,” said Miller.
“I guess the test items mainly get tested with [Michele] Pirro and then they get fed to me, or to Petrucci I feel, but we are the next ones able to test it if it is working or not.
“If it is working good enough, then they are interested in taking it to the factory team.
“They are using us as a step in between the test team and the top rider, which at the moment is Dovi.
“They are able to use us as somebody to test it in a different situation other than just the test rider.”
Miller was third and 11th fastest in the Sepang and Qatar pre-season tests, narrowly behind the top Ducati of Petrucci and outpacing Dovizioso on both occasions.
The Australian was pleased with the tests, saying that he’s been able to become comfortable with the Ducati GP19, and that he targets “a few” podium finishes throughout the season.
“The step between the GP17 and GP19 was a big step, they made some big developments to 2018 and also from 2018 to 2019.
“In terms of feeling, we’ve been working really hard throughout the two pre-season tests with a lot of items, trying a lot of different things, setups.
“Just in general getting comfortable with the bike. I feel we’ve achieved that in the last test in Qatar.
“Every day I was able to improve and really get comfortable with the bike so I am excited for the season coming.
“In terms of targets, the target is always to arrive to the podium and I’d like to do this a few times this year but of course the first goal is to achieve it one time.
“I feel I have a really good package underneath me and a good team around me, my second year with Pramac now, everything feels a bit more normal.
“There is no real question marks, I feel confident.”
Additional reporting by Marco Congiu
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