MotoGP legend Casey Stoner has been giving Jack Miller's Ducati teammate Francesco Bagnaia advice about how to handle the Phillip Island circuit.
The Australian Grand Prix is back this weekend for the first time since 2019 and Stoner will be at the Victorian venue where he won six straight races between 2007 and 2012 and has a corner named in his honour.
Miller is vying to become the first Australian since Stoner 10 years ago to win a home grand prix.
But Bagnaia, who is just two points behind reigning champion Fabio Quartararo in the overall points standings, revealed he has gained some useful tips from Stoner about how to handle the island track.
"I speak a bit with Casey and for sure it's very important to try to take an advantage from him, that's the best way possible to learn something from him," Bagnaia told reporters on Thursday.
Miller, who married his long-term partner Ruby last weekend, enters the Australian GP buzzing from his recent nuptials and is in outstanding form.
The 27-year-old won in Japan last month and is coming off a last-start podium finish in Thailand less than two weeks ago.
Miller, who is lying fifth in the standings, remains an outside title chance, with Quartararo and Bagnaia having inconsistent campaigns.
"Twenty points back ain't ideal, but I'm 40 points back so that's less than ideal but I'm just enjoying riding the back at the moment," Miller told reporters.
"It's every rider's dream to win their home grand prix so it just feels awesome to be back here on a factory bike and we'll try to challenge for that on Sunday."
Quartararo is coming off a disastrous race in Thailand, where he struggled in wet conditions and finished 17th in a blow to his title aspirations.
But the 23-year-old Frenchman said he was not fazed by the threat of another wet race at Phillip Island.
"I'd expect a much, much better race of course," Quartararo said.
"We made a mistake from the beginning, we started from really high pressure and the end of the race was tough.
"I apologised to all the people that were in Thailand."
Practice for the Australian GP is due to get underway on Friday.
