He finally made it – the thriller Miller himself, Aussie Jack on the Australian podium.
It’s Jack Miller’s biggest weekend of the year, and everyone was asking at every turn if he could make the podium or even take home victory, like he did in Moto3 as a teenager five years ago.
Emotionally, as he crossed the finish line at Phillip Island on Sunday afternoon, it felt like he’d done both.
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Take a deep breath: Phillip Island MotoGP thriller ends dramatically
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Chaos: Phillip Island is preparing for a wild Sunday after “terrible” weather
Weather disaster: Saturday run at Phillip Island canceled
Vinales fastest again: Extreme winds devastate Phillip Island
It would be the last of 27 laps in the thrilling race for Miller’s fourth podium in 2019 to become a reality, with Pole man Maverick Vinales falling from eventual winner Marc Marquez’s second pursuer.
The Lukey Heights disaster for Vinales resulted in Cal Crutchlow sailing in a lonely second, but nothing was certain behind the Briton.
Miller desperately tried to stop rookie Pramac Racing teammate Francesco Bagnaia and Suzuki Ecstars Joan Mir, finishing third when he saw the # 12 Monster Energy Yamaha pound through the air.
Suddenly there was a trophy and champagne up for grabs. Take the turn 11. Take the turn 12. Just get to the damn finish line in front of you.
The Townsville Terror ousted Bagnaia by just 0.055 seconds – ending Australia’s seven-year wait for an Aussie on a premier podium after Casey Stoner’s reign between 2007 and 2012.
In the parc ferme was an exhausted Miller who managed to make his tires durable, unlike 2017 and 2018, after it had faded late, with the result beside themselves, the local fans cheered his name and asked for a podium shoe, a request that he would follow.
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“I saw Marc and Maverick and I knew on the grid that they were on the softs,” he said.
“I just made it through the race and tried not to push too early as I’ve done in the past.
“I finished fourth and thought fourth was the best thing I would do and just defend my position.
“To my surprise, I came over and Maverick was … I just saw dust on Lukey and thought, ‘Who is that?’
“I saw it was Maverick and thought, ‘Holy ass, I’m third now’.”
Miller celebrates his third place. Image: William WestSource: Getty Images
The weekend on Phillip Island was marked by shocking weather, with rain and wind the antagonists on the Victorian racetrack from the start.
A confident Miller had a pace in wet and dry conditions on board his GP19 on Friday, but was only able to take ninth place in the postponed qualifying on Sunday morning.
On lap 27, the 24-year-old found himself in a position that many had hoped he would achieve – and one he will hold back until the championship re-opens in Malaysia next week.
Miller celebrates after finishing third. Image: Robert CianfloneSource: Getty Images
Thanks to a one-off paint job on race day, Miller shone in silver and praised his team for helping him through a stressful but ultimately life-changing weekend.
“I only defended the last two corners and here we are,” he said.
“It’s amazing, we’ve done a lot of work all weekend to get a basic set-up with not a lot of time on the track.
“Thanks to the team for working overtime this weekend, changing the paintwork and so on.
“It’s a great day. It’s not a win, but it feels like it.”