Miller given green light for Aussie MotoGP

Local hope Jack Miller will take his place on the Australian MotoGP starting grid after being given medical clearance to resume from a broken leg.

MotoGP rider Jack Miller

Jack Miller has received official medical clearance to contest this weekend's Australian MotoGP. (AAP)

Any lingering doubts over Jack Miller's fitness were dispelled on Thursday when he received official medical clearance to ride in this weekend's Australian MotoGP at Phillip Island.

The 22-year-old had a plate and eight screws inserted into his right leg after he fractured it below the knee less than three weeks ago in a training accident.

The Queenslander missed last weekend's Japanese MotoGP at Motegi, but his impressive recovery was given the green light by race officials at the Phillip Island circuit.

"I think I even surprised myself with the turnaround in the leg," Miller told reporters on Thursday.

"It was a small accident and it snapped ... it was just one of those things. I hit it the wrong way and it's been a busy time for me since then trying to get it back to working order.

"I've got a lot of motion in my knee and I can push off it.

"It feels good ... I don't think the injury should worry me too much - it should be ok.

"I probably could have made it to Japan but, with the three races coming up, we decided to focus on trying to finish the season as strongly as I can."

Miller, who will switch next year from Honda to Ducati, is in his third season in the premier class, with his best result at Phillip Island a 10th-place finish last year.

With three races left in the 2017 season, the Marc VDS rider is 13th in the championship standings, with two sixth-placed finishes - at Assen and San Marino - his best results.

Factory Ducati rider Andrea Dovizioso narrowed Repsol Honda star Marc Marquez's world championship lead to 11 points with a thrilling win in Japan.

Marquez arrived in Australia as the newly crowned world champion last year after he sealed his third MotoGP world title at the Japanese Grand Prix.

"We are in a very important moment (for the championship)," Marquez said.

"It's a track that I enjoy more than Motegi but we will see.

"I've had some ups and downs here. I crashed leading the race last year with a few seconds' advantage.

"We are fighting for the championship so the approach to the race is much different to last year.

"We will see if it's time to fight for the victory or time to think about the championship."


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Source: AAP



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