Jack Miller took to social media to announce that he had unfortunately tested positive for Coronavirus. “As you can see, I am still here in Australia because I tested positive for recent time.”
“I can’t travel at the moment and I will miss the presentation of the team.”He had no symptoms,” he stressed. “I just want you to let everyone know that I am fine, no symptoms, continuous training on the farm. Miller was scheduled to return to Europe to participate in the Ducati team presentation, which was scheduled to be broadcast online on January 28, before traveling to Sepang on February 5 and 6 for the first Test of the year. Due to Miller’s absence in Europe, Ducati has decided to postpone the team’s departure until February 7, Monday after MotoGP practice.
Miller’s positive test is unlikely to prevent him from traveling to Malaysia. With two weeks to submit a negative Test, his chances of participating in the Sepang test are excellent. But it is a salutary lesson for the challenges that the MotoGP and WorldSBK paddocks will have to face in 2022. Although the dominant Variant of Omicron seems to have less serious consequences, it is much more contagious, even among vaccinated people who cover almost all members of the MotoGP paddock. The chances of others testing positive for the Coronavirus remain high, which will limit travel.
Launch Season
The Ducati launch may have been postponed, and next week the launch of the team’s launch season will be announced. On Monday, January 24, the RNF Yamaha team will be presented by Andrea Dovizioso and Darryn Binder from Verona, the home of the team sponsor. This presentation will be broadcast on the team’s YouTube channel from 4:00 cet. Three days after, Thursday, January 27, it’s KTM’s turn. The Red Bull factory team with Brad Binder and Miguel Oliveira as well as the KTM Tech3 team with Raul Fernandez and Remy Gardner will show their new machines. This will also be broadcast on YouTube from 10:00 cet.
The following week, on Wednesday, February 2nd, the Pramac Ducati team of Johann Zarco and Jorge Martin will present their 2022 motorcycles. More details if they are available. On Friday, February 4, a day before the start of the first MotoGP test in Sepang, the Monster Energy Yamaha team, with Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli, will present its team on the Sepang international circuit. It will also be broadcast live and will start at 8:30 cet. After in the day, the Suzuki Ecstar presentation will take place at the same place, during which Joan Mir and Alex Rins will show the motorcycle with which they will ride.
On Monday, February 7, the day after the Test, the Ducati Lenovo factory team of Jack Miller and Pecco Bagnaia will present the paint for 2022, scheduled for 4:00 Cet and also broadcast on the Ducati website and social networks. A day after, on Tuesday, February 8, Marc Marquez and Pol Espargaro will put the Repsol Honda team back online, although no details have yet been defined. And on Wednesday the 9th, the LCR Honda team will follow Takaaki Nakagami and Alex Marquez. The departure of Nakagami is at 10:30 cet, Alex Marquez at noon.