Bagnaia made historical past in 2022 when he overcame a 91-point deficit and 5 DNFs to safe his first MotoGP world title, whereas ending Ducati’s 15-year championship drought.
The Italian was criticised for making too many errors in 2022, however Miller believes Bagnaia has advanced past the rider he was in his title-winning marketing campaign.
Requested if Bagnaia was wanting higher than he was in 2022 throughout the Portugal pre-season check, he stated: “I believe so.
“I believe he’s wanting stronger this 12 months than in final 12 months, even within the run he had within the back-end of the season in 2021, the run he had coming again into final season.
“I believe this 12 months he appears extra of a modified man, a assured man, and he’s using fairly spectacular.
“I adopted him for a really brief time, I adopted him via the final nook and that’s a person with confidence in his bike for positive.”
Jack Miller, Pink Bull KTM Manufacturing unit Racing, Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Workforce
Picture by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Bagnaia ended the pre-season quickest of all after setting an unofficial lap file on the Algarve Worldwide Circuit on the ultimate day of the Portugal check.
In Portugal, he stated that “Ducati and Aprilia are unbeatable at this moment”, with many within the paddock marking Bagnaia out because the agency favorite for the championship in 2023.
Miller believes Bagnaia’s predominant threats this season will come from inside Ducati’s steady, with the Italian marque fielding eight riders throughout its manufacturing facility squad and satellite tv for pc companions.
“There’s a couple of Ducatis on the market which are going fairly spectacular,” Miller added. “Alex Marquez, he’s tailored to that bike, he’s going to mattress fairly completely satisfied most nights after the change he made.
“I believe Enea [Bastianini] didn’t have the very best of checks, however it’s a protracted season, dash races, all that jazz.”
Miller ended the Portugal check seventeenth total as KTM continues to seek for a remedy to the rear grip issues which dogged it final 12 months.
The Australian – who spent 5 years as a Ducati rider – signed a two-year deal to hitch KTM from 2023 final season.
The 2023 season begins on 26 March with the Portuguese GP.