Pramac Ducati’s Jack Miller joked that he doesn’t want to be leading into the first corner, after putting his Desmosedici on the outside of the front row in third position at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia.

The Aussie has been in good form through the second half off the season and continued that good form when he put his Pramac bike on the front row alongside Fabio Quartararo and Marc Marquez.

Fully aware at how strong his bike is from the start, Miller said that he almost expects to be leading the field into the first corner, although he said he doesn’t want to be leading.

“All weekend we’ve been fast,” said the 24-year-old. “I was like Fabio yesterday, struggled a little bit more on the pace. But I found a step, especially in FP3 and then FP4, but I’m feeling really good.

“I think the hard tyre will be the one for me on the rear, just depending on the conditions. We need a little bit of that sun to come out. Even though the wind is really cold, the sun helps us a lot.

“For the rest, happy to be back here. I didn’t expect to be that close to pole and the other boys, especially Fabio and Marc on the one lap. I felt really good all weekend and was able to throw at it in qualifying, had a few moments and what not, but it was a lot of fun.

“Three different bikes [on the front row], mine probably does get off the line the best and can be pretty wide sometimes. I think my biggest thing, as we saw in Malaysia, I got off the line pretty well, but it was all downhill from there.

“So, tomorrow is trying to pace it out, get the right tyre choice prior to the race. I don’t really want to be leading, but I know how the bike starts and I probably will be at turn one, so if one of the boys wants to come through, I will leave a gap.”

Miller was once again the fastest of the Ducati riders, out qualifying both of the factory riders fairly comfortably. When asked about how and why, Miller said: “I wish I knew, but I feel good at the minute. These things just happen.

“I have been working hard and I just feel good since the second half of the season, I have become stronger and stronger. We’ve had a couple of tough races, but in general it’s been more positive than the first half.

“Being the first year on the current model bike has helped a lot, and race by race I am gaining more experience, and understanding more and more how to set up the Ducati. I feel good.”