Jack Miller had a challenging race at the Dutch MotoGP in Assen, describing his experience as being "stuck in the middle of the group" when he finished 14th. Early in the race, Pramac Yamaha riders made progress, briefly reaching near the top 10, but they couldn’t get past Enea Bastianini and ended up losing positions to other KTM riders like Brad Binder.
Fabio Quartararo, Monster Yamaha’s pole sitter, dropped back after a difficult start and narrowly avoided a crash involving Ferminaldegu. Throughout much of the race, Quartararo was stuck behind Bastianini, even while sporting a special 1999 red and white R7 livery. Ultimately, Quartararo finished 10th, 1.3 seconds ahead of Miller, with Binder, Johann Zarco, and Alex Rins trailing closely behind.
Miller commented, “The race was frustrating; I was trapped behind Bastianini for a long time and couldn’t find a way past. Even when Fabio passed me, he seemed to have a bit more speed but got stuck too. Everyone was running a similar pace, so you have to wait for others to slip up, which makes it tough to make moves.” He also mentioned struggling with engine braking and changing engine maps late in the race, which limited his ability to improve his position.
Despite the difficulties, Miller remains optimistic, saying, “Let’s see what we can do in Germany.” Currently, he is traveling to Japan to prepare for the Suzuka 8-hour endurance race in August. Meanwhile, teammate Miguel Oliveira retired early after bike damage from collisions and will participate in a private MotoGP test at Brno.
Fan Take: This race highlights how intensely competitive and strategic MotoGP can be, with small differences in pace and positioning making all the difference. For fans, it shows that even top riders like Miller and Quartararo face tough battles, signaling that upcoming races could bring exciting opportunities and shifts in the championship.
