It was a ride of the highest order for local hopefuls Jack Miller, who benefited from a Maverick Vinales crash on the final lap to take his first MotoGP podium at Phillip Island.
He’d be the last person to want a cutlery gift, but Miller couldn’t hide his excitement at wowing home fans on Sunday.
The Australian led the second group of drivers as they lapped Lukey Heights on the 27th and final lap.
Once there, they saw the Pole-winning Vinales factory Yamaha stagger through the gravel, with the Spaniard demonstrating the mistake as he got to his feet.
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Miller would seal third place in a run to the checkered flag with just 0.055 seconds ahead of Pramac Racing teammate Francesco Bagnaia and become the first Australian on the podium since Casey Stoner’s last sixth straight win in 2012.
For Miller, it was also the fourth podium visit of the season that wowed local fans with a burnout, flying an Australian flag across the track before shoeying on the podium.
Miller burns in front of the fans after finishing third: Image: Glenn NichollsSource: Getty Images
“When I got over Turn 9, I saw dust and my heart rate probably jumped a little … 50 beats per second,” Miller said after the race.
“I thought, ah, now I’m third… inside, inside, inside, and when I pulled in between the last two corners it was my job to make sure no one could get past me on the first straight.
“You never want to see someone fall, especially when there are still a few corners to be taken, but it is what it is.”
In many ways it was a huge weekend for Miller, who – like all drivers of all classes – had to struggle with treacherous conditions from Friday morning to the checkered flag.
To spice things up, droplets hit the drivers’ visors on the last lap.
However, Miller, who was the face of this Australian Grand Prix, from event notices to advertisements, kept his busy weekend counting, even if it took some luck to get there.
Miller celebrates with his team. Image: Peter ParksSource: Getty Images
“I can’t thank the team enough. It was a difficult, exhausting weekend, ”he said.
“Not only in full swing with all that PR stuff and so on, but the weather was horrible too.
“It was amazing on Thursday, turned to trash on Friday, and then got worse on Saturday. Thank goodness the word got around and we were able to have a nice dry race.
“The guys had to work overtime, massive overtime, to get a decent attitude along with the limited track time we had. I can’t thank them enough and I didn’t expect to be on the podium, but I’ll take it. “
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To avoid further fading out in the late race, Miller had been careful with his hard rear tires.
His attack came late and he led a hungry battlepack on the final lap, but P4 looked like his best finish possible – which he admitted.
Though rivals came and went, Miller stuck to his guns and was amply rewarded.
Before the penultimate race this weekend in Malaysia, the eighth Miller is only 12 points behind veteran Valentino Rossi in the overall standings.
Miller explained the chaotic race: “I leaned back to go step by step. Valentino went full throttle at the start and got a big deficit … thought he was pretty hot but then he came up to me again, the Aprilias came back and [Alex] Rins passed me on Turn 2, went forward about 10 laps, and then came back. I had [Andrea Dovizioso] in front of me and thought, that’s it, we can cruise to the end. But still 10 laps before the end [Bagnaia] came over and he was there. “
He was also very excited when he ousted his rookie teammate: “It was, let’s say, extra motivation for me because your teammate, the young rookie teammate, here at Phillip Island thought he was going to burn out in about three laps, but he got ahead and started to pick up the pace. In the end I was able to push past him and Dovi. “
Miller does a shoey on the podium. Image: Mirco LazzariSource: Getty Images