Jack Miller faces title showdown at Valencia
05/11/2014Red Bull KTM Ajo rider, second in the overall standings, will fight for the Moto3 title at the last meeting of the season in Valencia. Teammate Karel Hanika wants to close rookie year with another good result.
Eight months after the season began under the floodlights in Qatar, the Moto3 World Championship comes to a close in Valencia. The destination of the title is still to be decided, with Jack Miller arriving at the season finale in second place with 251 points, 11 off the lead. His Red Bull KTM Ajo teammate, Karel Hanika, will try to have a weekend like that of the Malaysian GP, where he earned his best result of the season with ninth place.
Jack Miller has to overcome an 11-point gap if he is to be crowned Moto3 World Champion. The Australian will seek victory at Cheste and hope that his title rival Alex Marquez does not place on the podium. The Valencian track is well-suited to Miller’s riding style, who holds 5 wins, 4 podiums and 8 poles so far this season.
Teammate Karel Hanika will complete his first World Championship season at the Valencian Grand Prix. The Czech rider has shown great progress throughout the season, and at the most recent round in Malaysia he achieved his best result to date. Hanika reaches the last event of the year 18th in the overall standings, with 38 points. The Valencian track is the first in four rounds that is not new to the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider, who rode there in preseason.
The first free practice session will begin on Friday at 9am local time. The qualifying session is scheduled for Saturday at 12:35pm and the decisive Moto3 race will be held on Sunday at 11am.
Circuit information – Comunitat Valenciana
Length: 4.005m / 2.489 miles
Width: 12m
Left corners: 9
Right corners: 5
Longest straight: 876 m / 0.544 miles
Constructed: 1999
Jack Miller
“The Comunitat Valenciana Circuit is one of my favourites. It is a very special track, where I’ve always enjoyed the atmosphere –especially for the big races– and it is always full. I’ve never actually finished a race there, but I think I have had good performances. We will have to start setting the bike up from scratch, because even though we were there in preseason the conditions are completely different. We must seize this last chance for the title. We’ll see what happens in this very decisive race.”
Karel Hanika
“At Valencia I want to repeat the result I got in Malaysia, or at least have a strong showing. I’ve already ridden there in preseason testing, and it didn’t go at all badly for us. The feeling that I have at the track is pretty good, although it is not my favourite one. We have to think that it’s just another race, and show that we are just as strong as in Sepang. I hope to finish the year with a good result.”