Marc VDS rider Jack Miller says he is relieved to have scored points at the season-opening Qatar MotoGP race, following what was a difficult off-season for the Australian.
Miller injured his leg ahead of the first pre-season test and therefore missed it, but was able to get back on his bike at the second test. But with so many changes including new Michelin tyres and a new standard ECU, his preparations for the new season weren't ideal.
However Miller's aim was to secure a points finish at the first race he managed just that.
"Sunday was pretty good with everything that's happened in the off-season," he wrote in his Red Bull column.
"The Qatar test was pretty tough with the direction of that track, so I knew the race weekend would be a challenge. All I wanted to do was get to the end, get points and manage to keep myself on the bike. I managed all of that – well, most of it.
"I was flying blind for a lot of last weekend – coming off injury, a new team, new bike, hadn't done a race distance in pre-season testing, hadn't raced on the Michelins, hadn’t experienced the standard ECU … doesn’t sound ideal!"
Before qualifying Miller suffered a fall which knocked his confidence and he only managed to secure 18th on the grid, therefore making up positions in the race was crucial.
"I needed to make a good start in the race and my launch was pretty bad, but I still managed to make up four places on the first lap," he said.
"I was in a good battle with [Eugene] Laverty and [Alvaro] Bautista on the last lap but I made a mistake and they got through. Could have been 12th, but ended up being 14th. My fault, but still, points and a race finish was an OK start all things considered."
