Jack Miller: Rome wasn’t built in a day
Aerodynamics was an obvious area of development for KTM at the Valencia post-season MotoGP test, but Jack Miller revealed there was also plenty of work going on under the skin of the RC16.
The arrival of the Australian, alongside crew chiefs Cristian Pupulin and Alberto Girabola from Ducati, appeared to help broaden KTM’s performance this season, by introducing alternative set-up and strategy ideas.
Miller revealed that in terms of the electronics, such work is ongoing, and that ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’.
“We worked on a completely different traction control management. A whole different philosophy,” Miller said at the Valencia test, where he signed off his 2023 track activities with the ninth fastest lap time (+0.648s).
“We changed the engine brake a few weeks back, in terms of strategy. And now we’ve changed the traction control.
“It's stuff we've been working on pretty much for 12 months. But Rome wasn't built in a day. You can't rewrite everything [code] in a week.
“So this is stuff we've been working on all year… Well, I say we, the guys have been working on it. I've been complaining and they’ve been trying to fix it!”
Miller also tried a hand-operated rear brake but “nearly stalled the bike coming into the pits when I thought it was the clutch!”
After falling from the race lead of the Valencia finale, Miller finished eleventh in the world championship with a pair of third places at Jerez as his best results.
Team-mate Brad Binder reached a new high for KTM with fourth overall, while KTM was second to Ducati in the constructors’ standings.
