Valentino Rossi: ‘I’m a big fan of Jack Miller’

Valentino Rossi’s Circuit of the Americas race day wasn’t a total disaster after the Italian slumped to a lowly eighth position with severe front tyre issues in the Texas MotoGP clash.

The 35-year-old did at least see his new Sky-backed Moto3 squad deliver its first rostrum of the campaign, with Italian rider Romano Fenati claiming a close second behind Jack Miller.

Red Bull KTM rider Miller denied Rossi’s squad the chance to win in only its second race, with the teenage Australian showing nerves of steel maintain his 100% winning record in 2014.

After celebrating his first podium in his new management role, nine-times world champion Rossi said: “I am very happy about Romano and the team and also Francesco Bagnaia was in seventh.

“The team worked very well, but especially it was Romano who made the difference to get second, he did a great race. But I am aslo a big fan of Jack Miller. He is a great guy and he did a great race.”