Teenage star Jack Miller has lit the fuse for a fiery showdown with Spaniard Alex Marquez in the Moto 3 race at the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix on Sunday.
After a blistering start to the world championship with three race wins in five meets, the 19-year-old Queenslander has fallen 25 points behind leader Marquez in the battle for the world crown.
Miller led for much of the Moto 3 (250cc) race in Japan last weekend before a last-lap error allowed Marquez, the younger brother of MotoGP world champion Marc, to pass him and he had to settle for fifth.
Relishing his home crowd advantage at Phillip Island, Miller said on Tuesday he was gunning for Marquez, who he blamed for a crash that ruined his chances in the previous race at Aragon in Spain late last month.
"I'll be aiming straight for him, that's the goal," said Miller.
"We're going to bring the pain this weekend that's for sure.
"He came with the first blow so if that's how we're doing it. I like to dance like that."
The youngster said that the Marquez family considered themselves royalty of the track but he wouldn't be bowing.
"They like to think that they are the bosses and they try to make you their lower companion.
"We're trying to do the same."
Riding the smallest of the three cyclinder classes in grand prix racing, Miller will make the massive jump to the premier MotoGP 1000cc category next year.
He has signed with the LCR Honda Team but wants to finish this season on top.
"First of all we need to finish off the year strong and try win the Moto 3 championship.
"We started so well but seem to have hit a rough patch."
Miller said that the Phillip Island circuit was one of his three favourite tracks, with the remaining rounds in Sepang, Malaysia and Valencia, Spain, his others.
He said after a couple of unlucky breaks it was good to be home.
"It couldn't have come at a better time after a couple of difficult races where we've looked really strong but haven't ended the way that we would have liked to.
"I will have the crowd in my corner like they do every weekend.
"The track is awesome and it's so fast and you need to have big balls to go around there quick."
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