Seven-time MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi believes that the bold move by Jack Miller to MotoGP in 2015 will be a real test of patience for the Australian teenager.
Miller, 19, has signed a three-year deal with Honda that will take him directly from 250cc Moto3 this season to the 1,0000cc premier class next year.
He will bypass the traditional training ground of Moto2, which was once the 250cc two-stroke Grand Prix class that Rossi used as a stepping stone for his so-far stellar 18-year career.
There has been endless debate about the wisdom of Miller's move, although what seems to weigh strongly in his favor is Miller's self-belief that he has the talent, strength and motivation to make the jump. And Rossi admits that despite his own reservations, this is a crucial mindset for Miller's to have if he's going to have any chance to succeed.
"Taking the right time will be the biggest challenge for Jack, because it is very easy now to say, 'Ah, I have time. I will arrive in MotoGP and be quiet,' " Rossi said. "But when you are on the track you always want to arrive in front and give the maximum.
"The step is very big and I think that Jack is very brave to try. But I spoke to him and he wants to do this and that is the most important thing. The bike will be a big step with the speed, brakes and tires. So he has to be clever, quiet and try to understand step-by-step. Then try for good results in the second half of the season."
While admitting it is big step to go directly from Moto3 to MotoGP, Miller rightly points out that every rider has his own methods and that his three-year deal with Honda gives him time to learn.
"Everybody has their own way and a lot of guys were very successful in the middle class (250cc or Moto2) and maybe I'll miss out on that," Miller said. "But for me, my goal is to go and ride with the best in the world and if you get handed that opportunity, why not take it? I saw the opportunity and thought, 'Why not?' "
Ciurrently riding a KTM, Miller is currently locked in a tense struggle for the Moto3 world championship against Honda riders Alex Marquez and Alex Rins -- who have both elected to go to Moto2 in 2015.
Miller has won four of 13 races so far and leads by nine points over Marquez with Rins third in the standings, 20 points behind Miller with five races remaining. Marquez and Rins have two wins each.
Jack Miller on his current Red Bull Racing ride at San Marino earlier this season.
