MotoGP: Jack Miller reveals hand injury caused by motocross accident

Ahead of this week’s three-day Sepang Test, Jack Miller has revealed that he broke his scaphoid in a motocross accident before Christmas.

The Red Bull KTM racer told members of the media present at the Malaysian circuit earlier today that he had spent most of his off-season cycling because of the motocross training accident.

Nevertheless, the Aussie feels that it won’t hamper him during his pre-season test programme in Malaysia and Qatar, stating that the bone has now healed.

“I wish I could say that I was doing motocross, but I broke my scaphoid before Christmas,” Miller told members of the media. “So, I haven’t really been doing much motocross. I’ve had enough time to let it mend, so it feels pretty good and shouldn’t affect things.

“It was raining at home, so I decided, instead of going cycling, to go and do motocross, but I lost it!! I picked the bike up and waited about 10 minutes and then did another moto. I went home, washed the bike, was looking and Pip and my nephew when I started swelling up.”

As a result of the broken bone, motocross was off the table for Miller. Instead, he put together a new, more physical training programme in order to stay bike fit; working in temperatures of 38 degrees back home in Australia.

Miller’s focus is now fully on the next three days in Sepang, where he and Red Bull KTM teammate Brad Binder will no doubt have plenty of new parts to test on their RC16 machines.

2024 marks Miller’s second with the team and he, alongside Maverick Vinales and Alex Rins, has the chance of becoming the first rider to win a MotoGP race with three different manufacturers. Miller has previously been victorious with Honda and Ducati.

Miller’s maiden campaign with KTM started well, with Grand Prix and Sprint podiums, but the Aussie began to struggle in the middle of the year. Miller ended his campaign 11^th overall, whilst teammate Binder was fourth in the standings.

Two of KTM’s full-time riders have already been testing in Malaysia, with Tech3 GASGAS pairing Augusto Fernandez and Pedro Acosta taking part in the Shakedown Test. Rookie sensation Acosta topped the test overall and was below the race lap record.

In fact, Acosta’s best lap-time of 1:58.189 would have put him fifth overall in last year’s official test, and eighth on the grid for last season’s Grand Prix at Sepang. On the final day of the Shakedown Test, Acosta was trialling KTM’s carbon fibre chassis.

Red Bull KTM were also present with test riders Dani Pedrosa and Pol Espargaro. Espargaro was second overall, 0.211s behind Acosta, whilst Pedrosa was spotted testing an RC16 with a front fender wing fitted.

The three-day official test at Sepang takes place on February 6-8, with two further test days planned in Qatar on February 19-20. The 2024 season opener takes place in Qatar on March 8-10.