Reigning MotoGP Champion Joan Mir apologized for the last lap COTA clash with Jack Miller, for which an angry Miller confronted Mir in the slowdown lap.
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The pair have made contact several times this season, starting with the Qatar opener, but the Texan fight was the second time in so many races that Mir Miller bumped into the final lap, costing them both places.
The two fought for sixth place. Miller made a clean pass to Mir on the previous lap before the Ducati rider was ahead on the back straight.
I then dived in at turn 16, but collided with the Australian’s side at the exit, so that Enea Bastianini was able to overtake both of them, while Miller fell back to eighth place behind Mir.
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While the race management then reversed their positions by punishing Mir, the incident still cost Miller sixth place to Bastianini.
“I went into the curve, protected my line, everything was fine and then I had a bike in the side. Got T-bones again,” said Miller. “He’s done the same thing for two weeks in a row and we’re both losing a position because Marc got through the last time and Enea this week.”
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“Well, first of all I would like to apologize because I don’t like to make contact during overtaking maneuvers,” said Mir.
“I made a great maneuver on the chicanes in the first sector. I was able to overtake him really well, but then we hit the straight and he just overtook me and gave me a few tenths.
“Then he just closed the lines. He just didn’t care to drive. He was right in the corner, almost straight … He closed the lines, but it was a little strange.
“Turn 16, left, is a good corner to overtake. I took the inside and in the second part of the braking he just took a really, really tight line that I wasn’t expecting. I touched the curb to avoid impact, and then I touched him a little. Luckily we didn’t crash. Then I lost a place when Bastianini overtook me. “
After the checkered flag, Mir waited on the back straight for Miller and didn’t criticize the # 43’s reaction.
“I stopped on the straight and waited for him to just blame it and do some things. He threatened me and did something, but if you are in a situation like this I can understand, ”said Me.
“I think Jack is a good guy. Like I said, if he were me I would be angry too. So I have nothing to say about him. He just said: ‘See you next’ … or something like that, let’s say in the Australian style.
“But there is nothing to be said about Jack. He’s always respectful in the race. He’s a good rival so there’s nothing to be said. I’m sorry for the maneuver, but I respect the decision of … [FIM Stewards].
“I think the penalty is utterly… I don’t understand, because when all the races are like this, you don’t overtake. You just don’t try. Better not try.
Regarding the decision not to punish Miller when the couple clashed from the last corner in Qatar, Mir told:
“Probably the one [Stewards] wasn’t the same as in Qatar when what happened to me with Jack. You were probably on vacation here today. Not much to say … “