Ducati Lenovo’s Jack Miller crossed the Silverstone line in fourth on Sunday after narrowly losing out on a late-race battle with Aleix Espargaro in the BritishGP.

The dramatic last-lap podium-fight saw Miller briefly ahead before the Aprilia struck back - claiming the Italian brand’s first podium in the modern MotoGP era - with the Australian seemingly at a loss with his inability to overtake.

“My right hand side of the tyre was really good, his one looked, just from behind I could see he was struggling more on the right, and my left hand side was a little bit shit and his one was quite good.

“So I was able to get the run, let’s say, but it seemed to be like, with Pecco, with Mir, and even when I got to Pol, but Pol went wide. But when I sort of had a bit of air, in between myself and others, I was really able to push in a good way and do quite fast lap times but as soon as I arrived to the back of the guys I start to suffer a little bit, and I wasn’t able to really pass.

“You’re setting up that move for quite some laps, but like I said, he had a little bit more on the left hand side so I rolled really hard through turn 12 and I had to break but then the right hand corner, we were good. Then on the left, he was able to square it up and he had a bit more drive on me so he was able to get the drive out. Even onto the straight - because both straights you exit on the left hand side and I was struggling a little bit there. He was able to just eke out enough that I wasn’t able to attack again in the last sequence of corners.

“Not a bad way to end the day but for sure, I would have loved to been on the podium. But anyway, we continue to work and was definitely a better day than yesterday - felt really nice to be able to fight and show that I have potential at the end of the race, that I’m not just fading from physical or any other issues.

“As you can tell, today, I was able to push all the way through the race. Okay I eased into it a little bit and was able to build my race pace and then around lap 6, I was able to really start pushing and was able to work my way forwards. Like I said, it was just strange for me that when I was behind that group, it was it think Pol, Aleix and Alex Rins. I was behind them and I was doing like half-a-second a lap quicker. Got on to them, felt mega, but as soon as I got there, I was like, like on the brakes sort of thing. I just didn’t feel - okay I had to use a few different lines here and there, so they were sort of hampering, let’s say with that. For example, I go really hard into eight on the brakes and with those guys in front I wasn’t able to brake exactly where I normally would. So there were some few little things, but I just want to sort of investigate why it was so difficult to make any overtakes. Especially just to get really close, to really be on the bumper of the other guys was quite hard.

“I never had the light or anything, so I don’t think it was front tyre pressure but we’ll have to wait and see. My tyre felt mega, my front tyre felt perfect. Like I was a little easy on it on the first lap, just because of being on the medium. I saw some of the other guys on softs. They were really given it some on the first lap. Whereas I was just trying to work my way into the race because of being on the harder tyre.

“I was waiting in the beginning, was more of a strategy. I didn’t want to really push and honestly I was quite shocked because I was on the group, sort of at the back, and I could see the whole group, basically to first position. And then I got in a little tussle with Mir, and once that sort of settled down and I was behind him, I looked and I saw that Fabio had got to the front and he was f***ing miles in front of us and I was like, ‘When did that happen?’

“He was just gone. I was like, ‘Okay, well, it looks like we’re racing for second here’. It was one of those races.

“I enjoyed it, I felt like my strategy wasn’t bad, but for sure I think a better starting position would definitely have helped. Because to not have to make those overtakes or get stuck in a battle, just focus on my own race more than anything would have been nice but definitely, because the first lap was pretty hectic, to come out of that unscathed and in a decent position was pretty nice.”

With six manufacturers occupying the top-six positions of the BritishGP, and with Aprilia challenging consistently in recent races, Miller is excited about the future of MotoGP and confident Maverick Viñales has made the correct choice in his move to the Noale factory.

“Yeah, for sure, he’s rubbing his hands together. I mean, it’s always nice, it seems like he’s picked the perfect time to jump to Aprilia. I think it comes down to all the hard work Aleix, Savadori and the past riders have all been doing there. They’ve been working really hard since I got to MotoGP. It’s good to see them and it’s great to have another manufacturer, like KTM on the box, Suzuki on the box, Yamaha on the box, Honda on the box. So many manufacturers now that can fight for podiums and victories. It’s awesome for the sport!”