'Nothing I could do' - Jack Miller penalised, explains Vinales near miss

The factory Ducati star, who took a podium despite the sanction for falling under yellow flags last weekend in Germany, was handed the same penalty for a scary near-miss with Maverick Vinales in qualifying.

‘In MotoGP Q2 at the exit of Turn 5, Miller was observed to be riding slow on line, disturbing rider #12 and causing a safety concern,’ read a judgement from the FIM Stewards.

‘This is the second time this season he has been observed riding slow on line and disturbing another rider. He has been given a Long Lap penalty for the MotoGP race at the Motul TT Assen.’

Miller was previously given a three-place grid penalty for obstructing Fabio Quartararo during qualifying in Argentina. The Australian, who qualified sixth on the grid, immediately apologised to Vinales and the Aprilia team after the session.

Franco Morbidelli will also have a Long Lap penalty for the race after twice riding slowly on the racing line in Friday practice, having received a verbal warning for the same offence at Sachsenring.

Jack Miller: 'I went to apologise but there’s nothing I can do'

Speaking before his penalty was announced, Miller explained that he had been rejoining the track after a fall and felt there was not much else he could have done.

“I haven't heard anything, but I hope not,” Miller said of a potential penalty. “I mean, I didn't do anything wrong. I did everything I could right. I pulled over to the left.

"I was side-saddle from push starting it. I was just trying to load my foot up and make sure that the [damaged] footpeg wasn't going to snap as I stood on it with all my weight, to get my other leg over the other side of the bike.

“I was already hard on the left-hand side of the track and I just looked to make sure I'm not in anyone's way and Vinales was there. There's a lot of track there. I understand the racing line and the track sort of pulls you out that way, but not much more I could do.

“I went to apologise simply because I know it's shit, but there’s nothing I can do.”

Maverick Vinales: 'No problem… Luckily, we didn't hit each other'

Vinales, who will start eleventh on the grid, brushed off the incident:

“Basically, I think he crashed and after he looked back, he saw me, he tried to [move], but I was coming very fast. Honestly, it [changed] nothing, because there was a yellow flag [cancelling any fast laps].

"No problem, it's OK… Luckily, we didn't hit each other.”