New Ducati factory rider Jack Miller turns 26 today. As he awaits the first winter tests in Qatar, he’s taken part in a dirt track race, the North Brisbane Cup, in his native Australia. But the question everyone is asking is… might another Australian rider prove lucky for the Borgo Panigale manufacturer?

Miller like Stoner?

Back in 2007, Casey Stoner secured the world championship title for Ducati. Since then, various riders have climbed aboard the red bike, but no one has been able to repeat the feat, not Valentino Rossi, nor Jorge Lorenzo, and not even Andrea Dovizioso, despite the Italian having fought hard in 2017, 2018 and 2019, only to finish second each time.

So might Ducati need another Australian rider in order to return to winning ways? Maybe so. The decision to go with Jack Miller, already in the Ducati Pramac orbit since 2018, could well prove to be the right one… he’s young, aggressive in his riding and already has good experience. Despite having a very different character to Stoner, Jack does have that same determination and touch of ‘madness’ that could prevent him from being overpowered by the Desmosedici, a bike he already knows very well of course.

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Fun in Australia

 

 

 

 

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Un post condiviso da Jack Miller (@jackmilleraus)

In the meantime, though, at home in Australia, Miller celebrated his 26th birthday by competing in the North Brisbane Cup, which ran at the Mick Doohan Raceway, a dirt track dedicated to the five-time world champion. Miller posted a video of the race on social media: “Good fun, before the rain. Thanks for having us!”

Despite the time difference, many have already wished Miller a happy birthday and we echo this sentiment of course, while also hoping that Jack can in fact bring Borgo Panigale that long-awaited, all-important result in 2021.

Translated by Heather Watson

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