News came through today that Aussie MotoGP ace Jack Miller has caught Covid-19 and is isolating at his home in Australia. Some would say it’s a fairly handy time to catch it, as we’re six weeks away from the first round of the MotoGP Championship (Qatar, 6th March), but it’s come as a bit of a pain in the arse for Ducati, who’ve had to postpone their official 2022 team launch.
A statement from Ducati said
After testing positive to Covid-19 on Wednesday 19th January, Jack Miller will not make it back to Europe in time to take part in the official 2022 team photoshoot session. Miller, who is asymptomatic, is currently in self-isolation in Australia and will do a second PCR test next week.
Therefore, the 2022 Ducati Lenovo Team Season Launch, initially scheduled for 28th January, will be postponed to 7th February 2022. On 31st January, ahead of the official MotoGP Shakedown test (31st January – 2nd February) at Sepang International Circuit (Malaysia), that will see Michele Pirro and the Ducati Test Team take it to the track for the first time this year, the 2022 livery of the Ducati Lenovo Team bikes will be unveiled.
And Jack said,
Unfortunately, I’ve been tested positive for Covid-19, which means I am unable to travel to Europe. I am still home in Australia and doing fine. Since I don’t have any symptoms, at least I can continue with my training. I miss you all and will see you in Sepang for the test.
Will you though, Jack? Because let’s be fair, if you’re testing positive now, you could still be testing positive in ten day’s time. I hate to say it, but it might not just be the official team launch that’s postponed, it might be Jack’s first ride of 2022.
And that would be a crying shame, because you’d have to say he’s one of the title contenders. In fact I did have him down for great things last year, but he didn’t quite live up to my expectations. Perhaps he will in 2022. But with a MotoGP field as competitive as it is, number 43 will need all the help he can get. And missing the first test with Covid, definitely won’t help.
Fortunately, Jack Miller isn’t suffering with any symptoms, so let’s hope he’s only got a ‘touch’ of Covid (if such a thing’s possible), and that it’ll out of his system by his next PCR test. We’re keeping our fingers crossed for you over here, Jack.
