Jack Miller's longtime confidant and assistant, Thomas van Leeuwen, has pulled back the curtain on one surprising aspect of the Australian star's routine: his absolute aversion to wearing new race suits.
Since Miller's premier class debut in 2015, van Leeuwen has been in the trenches alongside the Townsville native, witnessing every peak and valley of his rollercoaster career.
Their bond runs deep-childhood friends who vowed to rise together in MotoGP-and van Leeuwen has meticulously managed Miller's gear ever since the satellite LCR team handed Miller his factory contract. Despite Miller's jump straight from Moto3 to MotoGP after a fierce 2014 lightweight class title battle against Alex Marquez, his initial stint at LCR yielded limited success. However, subsequent chapters with Marc VDS, Pramac (twice), Ducati, and KTM have shaped a career marked by four wins and 23 podiums, with the final season looming in 2026.
Van Leeuwen revealed to Motorcycle News a key piece of Miller's race-day preparation: "I make sure that at least two of every suit here have been worn by Jack before. That way, if there is a crash where his race suit gets too badly damaged, there is always a 'broken-in' suit available." The assistant confirmed emphatically, "No [Miller is not a fan of wearing new suits] - absolutely not! Just as little as new boots and gloves, for that matter. So, I make sure there are always pre-used sets ready." He also disclosed a clever pit box tactic: "I do even have one set ready behind the scenes in the pit box, by the way. If there is very little time, it saves him the running back and forth to the truck."
Van Leeuwen's attention to detail extends beyond suits, storing four extra race suits, boots, and helmets in the Pramac team truck, prepared for any sudden gear changes forced by crashes. Such precautions are crucial given Miller's high crash frequency-eight incidents across practice, qualifying, and race sessions in the first 11 rounds of the 2026 season alone. He leads Yamaha riders in crashes this year, outpacing teammate Toprak Razgatlioglu's six and factory riders Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins, who have fallen three and four times respectively.
Miller's crash record is staggering: 21 crashes in 2023, 20 in 2024 with KTM, and a whopping 25 in 2025 after returning to Pramac following their switch from Ducati to Yamaha machinery. Only LCR Honda's Johann Zarco surpassed Miller in 2025 with 28 crashes. Comparatively, Rins crashed nine times and Quartararo 13 times over the 22 rounds in 2025.
As Miller edges closer to the end of his journey-with Yamaha declining to extend his factory contract and Pramac preparing to welcome rising Moto2 star Izan Guevara-this meticulous gear management underscores the physical intensity and relentless demands of the premier class. Van Leeuwen's behind-the-scenes role ensures Miller can push the limits with confidence, even when the margins for error are razor-thin.
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