Jack Miller says Ducati “made the right decision” in promoting Pramac teammate Danilo Petrucci to its factory MotoGP effort as Honda-bound Jorge Lorenzo's replacements next year.
Both Miller and Petrucci are currently directly contracted to Ducati, and were favourites to replace Lorenzo when it was announced he would be joining Repsol Honda for the 2019 season.
Petrucci, who has been with Ducati and Pramac since 2015, was ultimately picked over Miller, who will remain with Pramac but on 2019 factory machinery.
Miller feels his six-time podium winning teammate has “done a great job” in the past two seasons on identical machinery to his factory counterparts, and “deserves” the factory shot more than him.
“I think they definitely made the right decision,” Miller said in an interview with motogp.com.
“Danilo has put in many long years with Ducati, and not easy moments. He's done a great job the last two years, so he definitely deserves the bike for next year more than me.
“I'll have the same bike as them [factory team] anyway, just less pressure in a satellite team.
“So I have the opportunity to fight with these guys and show that I deserve this seat in the future.”
Miller could find himself in the factory team come 2020, as Petrucci insisted on signing a one-year deal in order to give himself the motivation to prove he deserves a longer spell with works outfit.
The Australian added that this is “an amazing time” to be racing in MotoGP, and feels fighting at the front this year is “just preparing” him for next season when he will have the latest Desmosedici.
“The season so far has been coming step-by-step, better and better, and for sure I would have like to have already been on the podium.
“But I feel we are getting closer and close and more deserving of the podium. To be every week with these guys in the front group is just preparing us for the future, and especially for next year when we will be in the same year bike as them, not one year behind.
“It's an amazing time to be in grand prix racing where everybody is so close like we are at the moment.
“And when you are riding with the greatest guys in the world on the hardest bikes in the world, you need to be the best you you can be.”
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