Honda has struggled at the back of the pack in recent seasons, but the Japanese manufacturer showed some promising signs of change during testing. Joan Mir wrapped up the Buriram test in sixth place. However, while the improvements look promising, there are still significant issues to address.

A Step Forward

Mir acknowledged that while his lap time wasn’t outstanding, the bike showed real potential. But unlike other riders, Mir only attempted one flying lap rather than two, which suggests that there is still more speed to unlock.

“The lap time was not fantastic,” Mir admitted to Crash.net. “I couldn’t put everything together because we only used one tire at the end, while many others did two time attacks. This makes me happy because it means we still have room for improvement.”

More importantly, Mir said the bike felt better than ever since he had joined Honda, and that’s a major confidence boost by itself. “For me, the most important thing today is the feeling I have on the bike. The pace we maintained during the Sprint simulation shows we are closer than ever to the front.”

He credited his team for their efforts, highlighting the significant progress made in such a short time. “Last year, we couldn’t even fight with some test riders, and now we’re close to the top five. It’s impressive.”

Weakness

Despite the progress, Mir remains cautious. While the bike’s handling has improved, one major concern remains—the engine.

“We have a couple of weak points, but the problem is that they are pretty big,” Mir said. “I’m worried about the engine. The bike handles well, and I enjoy riding it now, but on the straights, we are the slowest.”

He explained that while Honda managed to clock competitive lap times, they are still lacking the straight-line speed needed to compete over a full race distance. “In racing, we’ve already lost the battle in a way, and that’s concerning.”

Reality check

Mir’s teammate, Luca Marini, also saw positives in Honda’s performance but warned that track conditions might have masked some underlying problems.

“Today, it was easy to do a 1:29 lap,” Marini told Crash.net. “The track conditions were incredible. The grip was so good that it allowed us to push more power when exiting slow corners and made braking easier.”

He noted that while preseason testing was overall positive, a real test awaits in actual race conditions. “We now understand which package to use for the first races, and we’ve definitely taken a step forward compared to last year. But it’s still too early to say anything for sure. We need to see where we really stand in a normal Grand Prix.”

The Road Ahead

Even when Honda’s preseason testing has offered a mix of optimism and caution. The improvements are there, and the team feels closer to the front than in previous years.