Joan Mir Battles Vibration Issues with New Tyres as Honda Seeks Consistency Amid Aero Upgrades in MotoGP

Joan Mir: "What's happening to us is really odd."

"We're quick with worn tires, but I'm experiencing significant vibrations with the new ones."

After getting access to the updated concessions package, it may have taken longer than anticipated, but Honda, much like Yamaha, has shown improvement in the most recent three MotoGP races.

The leading RCV rider had an average finishing position of 14th in the first 11 grand prix races, but this has improved to an average position of 11th in the last three races on Sundays.

Recent advancements include a new aerodynamic package and a swingarm, designed to tackle Honda's ongoing issues with traction and cornering.

However, Joan Mir seems to be experiencing an undesired consequence of increased rear grip, which is chatter when using new tires. This problem isn't unique to him, as KTM's Augusto Fernandez and others are also encountering it this year: "As grip improves, so do the vibrations".

Repsol Honda rider Mir experienced significant vibrations, resulting in a 20th place start at Mandalika and a crash during the first lap of the Sprint race. Despite showing good speed on worn tyres, where less grip led to reduced vibrations, it ultimately did not benefit his performance.

“With worn tires, our speed is good. However, with new tires, I experience significant vibrations and can't complete the lap. We're facing the same issue we encountered in Misano,” Mir explained.

“In the Sprint race, a similar issue occurred. I experienced significant vibration during the first two laps, which led to my crash.”

During the second practice session, I managed to maintain a solid pace using a worn tyre. After 12 laps, I clocked a time of 30.8 seconds. When switched to a new soft tyre for the qualifying session, I achieved a time of 30.7 seconds.

"It's quite unusual what's occurring with us. However, if we manage to resolve this issue, our true capabilities will be significantly enhanced."

The 2020 world champion stated, "I'm pleased with our current setup foundation. However, the new tire is causing significant vibration issues."

"Based on my riding position or some other factor, our bike generates more vibrations compared to others. We're currently trying to figure out why this happens. Luca and Zarco don't seem to have the same issue, but for me, it's the most significant problem, as evidenced by the data."

"During the Sprint race, I experienced a crash due to this issue, which prevented me from fully utilizing the potential of the new aerodynamic package and the new swingarm we have implemented."

"However, once I had the used tire, I managed to achieve high speeds on Saturday morning."

Switching from a soft to a medium rear tire for Sunday's grand prix is expected to decrease peak rear grip during the initial laps, which could benefit Mir. "The medium tire will likely be more suitable for this issue. We'll find out if it helps us have a strong race," he stated.

Beginning from the seventh position on the starting grid, LCR's Johann Zarco achieved Honda's top Sprint race finish of the season by securing eighth place in the Saturday event.

Luca Marini, who is Mir's teammate, faced difficulties during the qualifying session and ended up in 17th place. In the first lap, he got involved in an incident with Brad Binder and was positioned just ahead of Jorge Martin, who had fallen.

"[Zarco's performance indicates] significant improvements in the bike, which makes me very happy," Marini commented. "As for me, I made a few errors during qualifying, and in the race, everyone's speed was quite comparable. Therefore, getting a good start is crucial to securing a favorable position by the end."

"I had some bad luck when Brad Binder left his front device on in the first sector. I collided with him at Turn 8 and ended up in last place. We’ll give it another shot tomorrow, aiming for a strong start. If we can be in the top 15 by the end of the first lap, I believe we can achieve a good result."

On Saturday, Takaaki Nakagami, a teammate of Zarco, debuted the new fairing during a Grand Prix weekend and secured a position just ahead of Marini.

"We require additional time to grasp the new aerodynamics, including myself," Nakagami mentioned regarding the new aero package that other Honda riders used during the previous race at Misano. "Today, we only had 10 practice laps before moving on to qualifying and the Sprint race."

"The sensation with the fairing is distinct. The traction remains largely unchanged, but the turning improves due to the ground effect. It's evidently the correct direction to pursue. However, when exiting the corner, I experienced more wheelies."

"We'll find out tomorrow. Managing the tires will be crucial over 27 laps in this heat. Finishing in the top ten would be a great result ahead of my home Grand Prix…"

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