Ducati decided last season to give up three-time runner-up Andrea Dovizioso and double race winner Danilo Petrucci in favor of the former Pramac duo Miller and Bagnaia.
The move has been criticized as Miller hadn’t won a race since 2016 and Bagnaia only had one podium finish prior to this season, but both have been major contributors to a strong campaign for Ducati so far.
Miller won in Jerez and Le Mans after a difficult start to the year, while Bagnaia took three podiums in the first four races.
Bagnaia is currently in third place in the overall standings after the first nine races, 47 points behind leader Fabio Quartararo, while Miller is 56 points behind.
Though Miller admits “the real confirmation” will come by the end of the year, he believes both he and Bagnaia – who will stay on the factory team in 2022 – have done enough to justify Ducati’s decision to completely redesign the main squad for 2021.
“I think so,” he said at a track day in Barcelona when he was asked by Autosport if, in his opinion, he had done enough to prove that Ducati was right to sign him.
“I think they have some confirmation, but the real confirmation will be by the end of the year.
“There will be people who have a better microscope and say, ‘They could have done better,’ or something like that.
Jack Miller, Ducati team
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
“[At] At the end of the day the decision had already been made and we are already racing and they cannot reverse that decision.
“No, I think we did a good job and Pecco and I – Pecco in particular has been very consistent, I do my best to do my best job.
“But I think we’re doing a good job for the team and the manufacturer.
“We’re right there in the manufacturers ‘championship, and also in the drivers’ championship.”
Ducati, which won the constructors’ title last season, is currently in second place, just 17 points behind Yamaha.
Two ninths and a DNF in the first three laps have so far held Miller back the 2021 title fight, but he is “calmly confident” that the coming races in the second half of the season will give him a “decent job”.
“We have the two wins and even the podium here in Montmelo that we can be proud of, but the first few races were not ideal and the crash at Assen was obviously unnecessary,” added Miller.
“But it’s done, we can’t change that now and we can only look into the future, what we can do better in the second half of the season.
“And I’m feeling pretty confident in the second half of the season, a lot more tracks that I like and a lot of tracks that Ducati likes. I think we can do a decent job. “
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