Joan Mir Battles with Mysterious Vibration Issues on New Tyres Amidst Honda’s MotoGP Progress

Joan Mir expressed, "What we're experiencing is quite peculiar. When the tires are worn, we're quick. However, when the tires are new, I'm encountering significant shaking."

The progress Honda has achieved in the recent three MotoGP races, following the updated concessions package, may have taken more time than initially anticipated, similar to Yamaha's experience.

The leading RCV competitor averaged a 14th-place finish across the first 11 Grand Prix events, but this performance has enhanced to an 11th-place average finish in the most recent three Sunday competitions.

Recent updates include a redesigned aero package and swingarm, focused on improving Honda's longstanding issues with traction and cornering.

However, Joan Mir is experiencing an undesirable consequence of enhanced rear traction; it seems to cause chatter when using new tires. This problem isn't unique to him, as KTM's Augusto Fernandez has noted similar challenges this season, stating, "The greater the grip, the more vibrations we encounter."

The oscillations resulted in Repsol Honda's Mir starting in 20th place at Mandalika, and subsequently crashing in the first lap of the Sprint. Furthermore, Mir's ability to maintain a 'fast pace' on worn tires, which typically reduces vibrations due to lesser grip, was rendered ineffective.

"Mir commented, 'Using old tyres, our speed is impressive. However, when we switch to new tyres, I experience significant vibration and struggle to complete a lap. So, we're facing the same issue we encountered in Misano.'"

"During the Sprint, I experienced a similar issue. There was significant vibration during the initial two laps, which led to my crash."

During the second free practice session, utilizing a worn tire, I maintained a strong pace. On a tire that had seen 12 laps, I clocked a time of 30.8. Then, with a fresh soft tire in qualifying, I managed to shave that down to a 30.7!

"It's quite peculiar what we're experiencing. However, if we overcome this, our true capabilities will significantly enhance."

The 2020 global champion mentioned, "I'm satisfied with our current setup foundation. However, the issue with the new tire is causing significant vibration."

Due to my positioning on the motorcycle, or for another unidentified reason, we experience more vibration compared to others. This is an issue we're attempting to comprehend. Luca and Zarco don't seem to have as much of an issue with it, but for me, it's a significant concern, as evidenced by the data.

"During the Sprint race, I experienced a crash due to this issue, which hindered my ability to fully leverage the capabilities of the new aerodynamic package and swingarm that we've implemented."

"However, having the used tire allowed me to significantly increase my speed by Saturday morning."

Switching to a medium from a soft rear tire for Sunday's race is expected to decrease peak rear traction initially, which might benefit Mir. "The medium is likely a better choice for this issue. We hope to perform well in the race," he acknowledged.

Beginning from the seventh position on the grid, LCR rider Johann Zarco secured Honda's top Sprint race finish of the year by coming in eighth in the race held on Saturday.

Luca Marini, a teammate of Mir, faced difficulties during the qualifying round, beginning from the 17th position. He then became involved in a clash with Brad Binder and, after the first lap, was only in front of Jorge Martin, who had crashed.

"Marini expressed contentment with the bike's significant progress, noting Zarco's performance as an indicator. He acknowledged his own errors during the qualifying rounds and observed that with the race pace being closely matched among competitors, a strong start can greatly influence one's final standing as favorable or otherwise."

"My misfortune stemmed from Brad Binder not disengaging the front mechanism early on, leading to a collision at Turn 8 that sent me to the back of the pack. We're setting our sights on a strong start tomorrow, and if we manage to break into the top 15 by the first lap, I'm confident we can achieve a favorable outcome."

In his first weekend GP appearance utilizing the newly introduced fairing, Takaaki Nakagami, a team member alongside Zarco, managed to secure a finish just one position higher than Marini.

"Nakagami expressed the need for additional time to grasp the new aerodynamics, which he, along with the other Honda riders, had previously raced in at Misano. He mentioned, "Today, we were limited to just 10 laps of practice before moving on to qualifying and the Sprint."

Experiencing the fairing brings a unique sensation. While the traction remains largely the same, there's an improved ability to maneuver due to the ground effect. It's evident that this is a positive direction. However, upon exiting a turn, I encountered increased wheelie activity.

"We'll find out what happens next day. With 27 laps under such hot conditions, handling the tyres will be crucial. Securing a place in the top ten would be a great achievement leading up to my home Grand Prix…"

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