Mir’s Struggle on Straights Highlights Honda’s Urgent Need for Upgrades Ahead of Austria

Joan Mir laments falling behind by “1-1.5 seconds on straight sections, eager for competition” | Austria to see new engine introduction

Joan Mir expressed, 'With numerous straight paths, the deficit easily reaches 1-1.5 seconds. However, we're aware of the current constraints and must keep pushing forward.'

Joan Mir was primarily focused on returning his Honda to the pit without any issues during Saturday's British MotoGP Sprint, in anticipation of significant improvements, such as an updated engine setup, expected for the upcoming race in Austria.

The 2020 global champion believes he's falling behind by approximately 1 to 1.5 seconds every lap because of insufficient engine power, especially noticeable on Silverstone's extensive straight paths.

Nonetheless, Mir has opted to team up with Luca Marini, continuing to use an engine specification that lacks power, which was unveiled at the start of this season, as it is considered an initial move towards improvement.

Following his completion of the race in 16th position, trailing behind a trio of Honda riders spearheaded by LCR's Johann Zarco and Marini, Mir stated:

"It was an extremely challenging race; I wasn't in a position to keep up with riders from other brands. Therefore, I chose to stick with the Honda riders. In my opinion, making any rash moves isn't wise, and ensuring the bike safely returns to the pit seems like the smartest approach under these circumstances."

He further explained, "Our routine includes analyzing video footage side by side, and it's evident that we're significantly slower on every straight stretch, falling behind by two to three tenths of a second in areas where typically, riders are not actively making maneuvers."

"Thus, if there are many straight paths as seen in this circuit, effortlessly it amounts to a 1-1.5 second difference. However, we're aware of our current constraints and must focus on remaining mounted on the motorcycle."

"A couple of races back, we modified the engine setup, which is the path the team from Japan will follow to enhance the motorcycle's performance going forward. In my view, it was a move that seemed like a regression in order to achieve greater progress down the line. That's the reason there's been a slight dip in our immediate performance, you could say."

Mir stated, "We decided to take out [the less powerful new engine following Barcelona] since it wasn't to my liking, and then we reinstalled it starting from Sachsenring [to collect information].

"Thus, our current circumstances won't improve this weekend, but following tomorrow, we'll receive new items and enhancements."

"This will also benefit the overall mentality and beyond. It's not merely about arriving on Thursday and realizing you lack the chance to get near any [other] motorcycles."

The enhancements will feature an additional updated engine design.

"Mir has confirmed that in Spielberg, there will be a change in the engine setup, which is expected to be advantageous."

"I simply wish to engage in battle alongside the team [in front], but currently, that choice isn't available to us."

When questioned about why his new team-mate Marini appeared to be happier with Saturday's outcome, Mir responded with a smile:

"We're both trailing by 18 seconds! It's great that he's pleased about it! However, I'm not feeling the same way! That's the truth!"

Upon learning that the vintage Honda colors set for Sunday's race had immediately shown success during their initial run in 1982, Mir humorously commented:

"The circumstances surrounding this color [tomorrow] are expected to change! However, obtaining even a mere ten percent from its historical context would be greatly appreciated."

In the meantime, LCR teammates Zarco and Takaaki Nakagami have mentioned that they are operating with an alternative engine specification compared to the Repsol team members. However, they anticipate receiving the updated engine in the forthcoming round.

"Regarding the new engine in Austria, I'm unsure about the extent of progress it will bring, but I received very precise feedback yesterday, and I'm optimistic about seeing some enhancements," Zarco expressed.

Nevertheless, the French rider warned that merely the engine's improvement won't elevate the RC213V from the rear positions on the grid, and he's anticipating a series of enhancements.

"Resolving the current issues solely through the engine would be incredibly beneficial. However, I'm skeptical. It seems to me that there's another component failing to perform correctly," he expressed.

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