Joan Mir has admitted that it was hard for him to accept riding an uncompetitive Honda, especially after experiencing early success with Suzuki. His switch to Repsol Honda in 2023 came at a difficult time for the team, and he has struggled since then.

In his first season with Honda, Mir finished last in the championship, ranking 22nd. His second season in 2024 wasn’t much better, as he only managed to outperform his new teammate, Luca Marini. Honda had hoped that Mir’s experience would help develop the bike, especially after losing their star rider, Marc Marquez. Team boss Alberto Puig recently emphasized how crucial Mir’s best performance is for the team.

"The rider is still the key factor in this sport. That’s why we need Joan to be at his absolute best," Puig told Autosport.

Losing Motivation

Mir admitted that he struggled with motivation last season and even considered his future in MotoGP. However, he signed a new two-year deal with Honda. Mir explained that his early success in MotoGP, including his 2020 championship win in his second season, made it difficult to accept struggling at the back of the pack.

"Alberto knows me well. He knows that when things go wrong, my confidence drops," Mir shared. "Honestly, I think I was a bit spoiled. I had great results early in my career. I entered MotoGP in 2019 and was fast right away. By my second year, I won the title."

He recalled how, before joining Honda, setbacks were rare for him. "Even when I had an injury at Brno, I recovered quickly and moved on. I never really faced tough moments until I joined Honda. That’s when the real struggle began."

For Mir, losing races made it quite difficult to stay motivated. "When you’re used to winning and suddenly you’re at the back, it’s tough. It’s been a long time since I truly enjoyed racing."

Hope

Thankfully, things seem to be improving for him. Mir felt relieved and optimistic after pre-season testing, where Honda made significant progress. At Buriram, he set the eighth-fastest lap time, making him the second-fastest Honda rider.

"The way I’ve been able to ride the bike in these tests is amazing," Mir said. "I can finally push the bike the way I like, especially in cornering. It’s not about the results—just the feeling of riding properly again."

Looking ahead, Mir has one clear request for Honda: "I just want the bike to be a little faster, with a bit more top speed."