Joan Mir acknowledged that he understands why Johann Zarco was able to outperform him during the 2024 season, despite Mir riding for the satellite team.

Mir had a challenging year, which could arguably be considered his worst in MotoGP, on the uncompetitive RC213V. In contrast, Zarco, who joined the LCR team, managed to deliver some surprising performances on the same bike.

The former Pramac Ducati rider cracked the top 10 twice in the second half of the season, finishing the year with 55 points, which, in comparison to Mir’s 21, is significant.

Mir, who failed to finish higher than 11th, believes Zarco's superior results were due to his ability to better manage the Honda’s limitations.
While Mir struggled particularly with tyre vibrations in the second half of the season, he felt Zarco’s riding style suited the bike's characteristics. “For some reason, Zarco is able to complete a lap without issues,” Mir said.

“For me, the vibrations and other problems with the bike make it much harder. For Zarco, it’s an area where he struggles less. We’re still trying to figure it out. He can do something we can't right now, and every time I push harder, I end up crashing.

"We need to understand why. We’re still in an evolution phase with the bike, and it often throws up unexpected issues that force you to ride in an odd way."

Despite only winning one race during his four years with Ducati, Zarco received praise in 2024 for his performance on the RC213V.
Zarco was the fastest rider within Honda, and alongside Takaaki Nakagami, who scored 31 points, LCR ended up outscoring the factory HRC team in the standings.

Zarco acknowledged the positive response to his results, noting that his decision to leave Pramac and take on a new challenge at Honda had been recognized.

“I’ve heard from the French media and seen on social media that people were impressed by the way I handled this season and my approach,” Zarco said.

“People might have thought I’d struggle at Honda, but that was part of my challenge, and it’s been a positive experience. My motivation is really high now. I hope this step back will help me take a bigger leap forward. I’m happy with how things turned out.

“Staying at Ducati was tough because all their bikes are fast, so the expectations were different. I took on this challenge because I wanted it, and I’m happy with how it’s going this year.”