Miller in talks with LCR Honda over return for MotoGP 2023

The three-time MotoGP race winner made his debut with LCR back in 2015 when he was signed to a three-year contract by Honda to come directly from Moto3, where he finished runner-up in the championship in 2014.

After a difficult debut aboard the underpowered RC213V-RS open class bike, Miller moved to Marc VDS for the final two years of his Honda deal.

From 2018 he was signed by Ducati to join Pramac, before stepping up to the marque’s factory squad last season.

At the Americas Grand Prix, Miller revealed in an exclusive interview with Motorsport.com that he was being “left in the dark” by Ducati over his future beyond 2022 and that no discussions had taken place about a 2023 seat.

It is thought Jorge Martin and current championship leader Enea Bastianini are favourites to step up to the factory squad alongside Francesco Bagnaia – who recently signed a new two-year deal – in 2023.

Miller admitted after the Austin race, in which he finished third, that he was open to the idea of stepping back to Pramac in 2023 if it meant continuing with Ducati.

Jack Miller, Ducati Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

However, as Motorsport.com has learned at the Portuguese Grand Prix on Saturday, Miller is now in talks about a return to Honda and LCR.

Both of LCR’s current riders, Alex Marquez and Takaaki Nakagami, have underwhelmed over the past two seasons.

LCR’s podium drought in MotoGP dates back to the 2019 Australian Grand Prix, when Cal Crutchlow finished second – while the team hasn’t won a race since Argentina 2018, again with Crutchlow at the helm.

So far Nakagami has taken the team’s best result of 2022 with a 10th in Qatar, but neither rider has cracked the top 10 since.

Both seats at LCR look up for grabs, with Nakagami’s Idemitsu-backed side of the garage specifically set up for a Japanese rider.

With young Japanese rider Ai Ogura impressing in Moto2 currently with two podiums so far this year, he is being heavily linked to that ride.

Thus, it is likely a Miller return to LCR would come at the expense of Marquez.