Joan Mir Showcases ‘Top Eight Pace’ Amid Challenges in Motegi MotoGP Sprint

Joan Mir: "Top Eight Speed" Despite Almost Crashing in Motegi MotoGP Sprint

Joan Mir demonstrated the speed necessary to contend for the highest non-Ducati position in the Motegi Sprint race.

Joan Mir found himself trailing by more than 30 seconds at the start of the Japanese MotoGP Sprint race after experiencing a near highside incident followed by brake failure.

The Repsol Honda demonstrated a speed that could have contended for positions ranging from sixth to eighth, but ultimately it withdrew from the race on the last lap.

"It's understandable to feel frustrated about our situation, but reflecting on today's events reveals many positive aspects," Mir remarked.

"During the initial lap, I nearly lost control at Turn 10, which almost caused a highside. When I reached Turn 11, I was unable to stop, leading me to veer into the gravel. It's likely that the brake pads were affected during the near highside."

"After bouncing back, I managed to complete a few laps and truly tap into my speed. I must admit, I'm pleased with my performance."

"The pace matched that of the competitors in the top eight, and we should be pleased with this level of progress."

During laps 4 to 11, Mir recorded lap times that were a second quicker than those of Alex Marquez from Gresini Ducati, who ultimately secured a seventh-place finish, and Jack Miller from KTM, who was the highest-ranking non-Ducati competitor, finishing in eighth place.

This situation gives Mir hope for the full race on Sunday, but beginning in 17th position is still a significant disadvantage.

"Securing a more favorable spot on the grid would significantly benefit us. I'm optimistic about tomorrow's longer race, given the strong performance we demonstrated today."

Luca Marini, who races alongside his teammates, emerged as the top performer for Honda, securing the 13th position. He expressed satisfaction with his unexpectedly strong performance, despite being 1.7 seconds slower than Mir during laps 4 through 11.

Marini expressed astonishment at their speed, noting that it was nearly as fast as the team ahead and their position was fairly decent. Reflecting on their starting point and the previous day's performance, he felt content with how things turned out today.

"We anticipated that the design of this track would pose challenges for us, yet we've managed to compete and advance, which is crucial. Our next step is to analyze the data from the other riders to understand their different approaches."

"In the morning, we plan to experiment with a few more strategies to advance further, but we are consistently making progress and achieving this at every race now."

Johann Zarco and Takaaki Nakagami, both riders for the LCR Honda team, were involved in a crash that resulted in Nakagami falling. Zarco received a long lap penalty as a consequence and ultimately finished in 14th place.

Last weekend at Mandalika, Honda's top performances of the season were achieved by Zarco, who secured eighth place in the Sprint and ninth place in the Grand Prix.

Explore Further

Sign Up for Our MotoGP Newsletter

Receive the newest updates, exclusive content, interviews, and special offers from the MotoGP paddock straight to your email.

For further details, please refer to our Privacy Policy.

Recent Updates

Additional Stories

Website Map

Crash.Net

©1999-2024 Crash Media Group

It is prohibited to fully or partially copy any text, images, or artwork in any manner.