Miller "in no rush" to confirm 2018 MotoGP deal

Motorsport.com understands Marc VDS Honda rider Miller reached an agreement to join the Pramac Ducati squad during the last round before the summer break at the Sachsenring.

However, the Australian says that any confirmation of his 2018 plans isn’t likely until after the Suzuka 8 Hours in a little over a week, as he competes for Honda's factory squad in the Japanese event.

“At the moment we haven’t signed anything,” he told Motorsport.com. “I’ve got Suzuka not this weekend but next weekend, so we’ll get that out of the way first.

“We’ve got time. As I said, we’re not in any particular rush to lock down anything in the next days or weeks. So who knows.

“Once I get Suzuka out of the way we’ll focus on putting together the final parts of an agreement. I’m sure an announcement will follow very soon after that.”

According to Miller, whose three-year term as a HRC-contracted rider will end after 2017, the key to his next deal is contract length, as he looks for a more favourable position in terms of other contracts up and down the grid for 2019.

“At the moment we’re just trying to find the best thing for me, and the best deal, you know, in terms of a competitive bike for next year,” he added.

“And in terms of contract length; as we know this year most people have already signed deals and not many people are negotiating deals this year, so it makes it hard for us in terms of options, because there are not many teams that have a free spot.

“We’re just trying to get a one-year deal so that we’re back on the same programme as everybody else more or less in terms of time that negotiations come on.”

Crutchlow deal unrelated to potential switch

While Cal Crutchlow’s 2018 HRC deal has been cited as a factor for Miller's likely move away from Honda, the 2016 Dutch TT winner was adamant the LCR rider's deal is not a determining factor in his decision.

“I think Cal doing is his job, and that has nothing to do with me,” Miller said. “It’s half his luck to get that deal, and good on him."

Miller is currently down under working as an ambassador for Australia’s MotoGP broadcaster Fox Sports, before he heads to Suzuka to debut at the famous 8 Hours race alongside Takumi Takahashi and Takaaki Nakagami riding for the MuSASHi HARC-PRO squad.