{"id":2111179,"date":"2026-08-25T09:10:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-25T06:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2111179"},"modified":"2026-08-25T09:10:00","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T06:10:00","slug":"what-youve-forgotten-about-motogps-underrated-champion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2111179","title":{"rendered":"What you\u2019ve forgotten about MotoGP\u2019s underrated champion"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316493_hires.jpg?width=1600&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9&#8243;]<\/p>\n<article>\n<header id=\"lbs-article\" class=\"article header article-header section layout layout--article-header\">\n<div class=\"col headline\">\n<div>\n<h1>What you\u2019ve forgotten about MotoGP\u2019s underrated champion<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"summary body\">\n<p>Exclusive interview: Joan Mir has endured some lean years since winning an unlikely world championship in 2020. Now off to pasture new in 2027 with the Gresini MotoGP team, he goes with only one goal in his mind &#8211; and that\u2019s not to prove anything to anyone but himself\u2026<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"section two-column\">\n<div class=\"col article-info\">\n<div>\n<address> Lewis Duncan <\/address>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><time datetime=\"2026-08-25T10:10:00+01:00\">25 Aug 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col article-actions\">\n<div class=\"block block-better-social-sharing-buttons block-social-sharing-buttons-block\">\n<div class=\"social-sharing-buttons\"><span class=\"ssb-title\"> Share<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div id=\"lbs-content\" class=\"content wide-two-column-sticky section layout layout--wide-two-column-sticky\">\n<div class=\"col first-column\">\n<div>\n<div>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316493_hires.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316493_hires.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316493_hires.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316493_hires.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316493_hires.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316493_hires.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316493_hires.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316493_hires.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316493_hires.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Joan Mir sits down with Crash.net for an exclusive interview<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Gold and Goose<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"block block-preferred-source\">\n<aside>\n<div class=\"preferred-source\">\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div>  Prefer Crash.Net on Google <\/div>\n<div> See our stories more often<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"button\">  Add <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"body\">\n<p>It takes a rider of considerable talent to win the Moto3 title in their second season, spend just one campaign in Moto2 before making the move to MotoGP, and then become world champion with one of the grid\u2019s smallest factory teams after just two years.<\/p>\n<p>Yet, these are achievements that have long since faded into the rearview mirror for Joan Mir. His title defence with Suzuki in 2021 was pegged back by a lack of development on the GSX-RR, with the Spaniard slipping to third in the standings.<\/p>\n<p>In the middle of negotiations to extend his stay with Suzuki into 2023, the Japanese brand sensationally pulled the plug on its MotoGP project early into the 2022 campaign. Mir was left scrabbling about for a ride with few up for grabs. He landed one at the factory Honda squad, just as HRC hit its nadir in the modern four-stroke era.<\/p>\n<p>He managed a best of fifth in an injury-ravaged 2023 season, as team-mate Marc Marquez hit the eject button and gambled on a move to Gresini Ducati to rebuild his stalled career. For 2024, Mir was left to lead the factory Honda team, but couldn\u2019t crack the top 10 in a season he failed to see a chequered flag in a grand prix 10 times.<\/p>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_897373_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_897373_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_897373_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_897373_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_897373_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_897373_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_897373_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_897373_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_897373_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Mir was world champion with Suzuki in his second year in MotoGP<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Gold and Goose<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>There was some light at the end of the tunnel in 2025, as he managed a pair of third-place finishes in normal conditions in Japan and Malaysia. But that progress for Honda hasn\u2019t continued into 2026, with the brand now shifting its focus fully to its 2027 850cc project and the resurgence it hopes to have with Fabio Quartararo at the helm.<\/p>\n<p>After the British Grand Prix, Mir sits 18th in the standings on 29 points, five behind LCR\u2019s Johann Zarco, who hasn\u2019t turned a wheel since a horrifying crash at the Catalan Grand Prix in May. Partly, that\u2019s down to a tyre pressure penalty denying Mir a second-place finish and 20 points at Barcelona. But mainly, his attrition rate remains too high.<\/p>\n<p>Of the 68 races he\u2019s started for Honda since 2023, he\u2019s failed to see the chequered flag on 40 occasions. Not all of those have been his own doing, but enough of them have for it to be a concerning trend.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think we started the season with higher expectations, and also the test at Sepang was very good, I remember,\u201d Mir says, reflecting on the 2026 season when <em>Crash <\/em>sits down with him at the British Grand Prix. \u201cThe first races were not bad, but we couldn\u2019t finish the race because, probably, I was too optimistic. I wanted to start the year in the same way that I finished; I wanted that too badly. And that made me risk more than what I should, and there were a lot of crashes. That was a bit of a lack of management on my part. I thought that our momentum was there and that I could finish with those results, and then that led to a lot of crashes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If there is one thing Mir can\u2019t be accused of, it\u2019s a lack of trying. Honda has been a shadow of its past, glorious self, for the duration of his tenure with the brand. Taking this year alone, he lost at least a fifth place to a crash in Thailand, a seventh in Brazil, a sixth in the USA, a sixth in France, an eighth in Hungary and an 11th in Germany. That\u2019s 58 points extra that would currently see him leading team-mate Luca Marini in the standings.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-09028.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-09028.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-09028.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-09028.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-09028.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-09028.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-09028.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-09028.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-09028.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Mir has been fast at Honda, but has crashed too many times<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Tony Goldsmith<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cI think people always check the list of where I am now in the championship,\u201d he said. \u201cBut if in those races I didn\u2019t crash and I scored those points, I would be top six or top five in the championship. But that\u2019s not the way to do something &#8211; you need to finish. We have the potential, I think that we are very close to finish those things and not expecting struggle from the others [to deliver us good results].<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe can earn those good results from our speed. This is something I also assume a lot of responsibility for, because until now I struggled a lot to do that. I remember back in the Suzuki days, or in the past, I was not feeling like this because I knew I had the package. The risk, I could manage to one point, but for me it\u2019s very hard to come here knowing I don\u2019t have the possibility.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mir\u2019s ability to wring the neck out of the Honda hasn\u2019t gone unnoticed, with Marini noting recently: \u201cJoan is doing an amazing job, because he brakes really hard and deep in these last couple of events, and he&#8217;s able to make the difference in qualifying compared to me.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>&#8216;I expected more from Honda&#8217;<\/h2>\n<p>But there is only so much a rider can do when the bike can\u2019t come along for the ride. HRC test rider Aleix Espargaro\u2019s huge claim that the 2026 Honda was the best bike he\u2019d ever ridden in the pre-season hasn\u2019t been followed up with the big results that were expected. Honda is currently down 22 points at this stage of the season compared to the same point in 2025, when it had scored a win in wet conditions in France and a dry podium in Britain.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-08775_0.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-08775_0.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-08775_0.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-08775_0.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-08775_0.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-08775_0.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-08775_0.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-08775_0.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-08775_0.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Honda&#8217;s 2026 development has slowed<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Tony Goldsmith<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Honda\u2019s rate of development has always been more cautious than its rivals\u2019. And with a new regulations cycle coming up in 2027, resources have had to be diverted. Both Mir and Marini have called on Honda to keep bringing new parts to the 2026 bike, because they will be useful in development for 2027. But it\u2019s seemingly a request that has fallen on deaf ears.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cInside the team, the box, the environment is very good, and I feel like they listen to me and they also want good results,\u201d Mir said of Honda. \u201cAnd when I crash, they suffer and they struggle. But the reality is, it\u2019s been half a season, and we didn\u2019t receive anything super positive to continue our progress.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat, I will not lie, I\u2019m a bit disappointed [about] also because I expected more. I think that if somebody here [in MotoGP] can follow two progress lines, it\u2019s Honda. I probably expected more, but probably they are working so hard, and now at the end of the season I will get it all! Who knows? I don\u2019t think so (<em>he says with a chuckle<\/em>), but if they start making evolutions and we start receiving those things, that also motivates me to keep pushing. If not, it\u2019s hard. I feel like in 2023 it was like this, where we struggled a lot and nothing was coming. And then in \u201924 it changed a bit, \u201925 also. And now this year, we are again waiting for more.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"ins-related_content dsp-related_content_in_article\">\n<h2>Read Also<\/h2>\n<div class=\"related-content-in-body js-view-dom-id-d18e346edaaa8e4cfad41df1227df75a4288858f50f2e3486a894853dc80c47c\">\n<div class=\"item-list\">\n<ul>\n<li>Ohlins insight: Valentino Rossi, Marc Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia MotoGP feedback<\/li>\n<li>\u201cOnly one goal\u201d &#8211; Honda, Fabio Quartararo share \u201cclear\u201d MotoGP target <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Honda made a major rider market play at the beginning of the year in signing 2021 world champion Quartararo from Yamaha. With Zarco and Diogo Moreira locked in on deals, only one seat remained at Honda for 2027. For a while, both Mir and Marini were in the frame. But after the Spanish Grand Prix, Mir decided he needed a fresh start.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Before committing to Suzuki, Mir had strong links to a Ducati ride. In hindsight, it\u2019s easy to look at this as a major missed opportunity. That chance has come around again, with Mir getting a factory bike at Gresini next season. That said, he doesn\u2019t regret his career choices to date.<\/p>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/mir-gresini_1600x900.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/mir-gresini_1600x900.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/mir-gresini_1600x900.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/mir-gresini_1600x900.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/mir-gresini_1600x900.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/mir-gresini_1600x900.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/mir-gresini_1600x900.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/mir-gresini_1600x900.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/mir-gresini_1600x900.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Joan Mir joins Gresini Ducati for 2027.<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m a little bit more burned than probably my rivals,\u201d he adds. \u201cIn certain moments of my career I could have chosen different ways, as with everyone. But I chose this one [Honda], and I don\u2019t regret it. But for me, what was something that I had very inside of me, staying here giving more chances, was something that came to my mind, to continue like this. But I need a change.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI need a change for my mind, for everything. I wish them the best for the future. And if next year they are able to have a competitive bike, I will be happy because I was part of that. But I need a change. This is something that is part of the process and will be part of my career. I cannot wait more time. And maybe, because next year nobody knows, this is not the right decision. But this decision was taken with the heart. I think if you take the decision with the heart, it\u2019s the right one.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>&#8220;I&#8217;ve not enjoyed racing for a long time &#8211; I want to do that again&#8221;<\/h2>\n<p>Mir will also be following in the footsteps of two former Honda riders who ultimately found Gresini to be the environment that would help them rejuvenate their stalled careers. Alex Marquez, disillusioned with Honda come 2022, decided to try his luck on a year-old Ducati at Gresini. He\u2019s now a multiple MotoGP race winner, a championship runner-up and put himself in the picture to snatch a factory deal to join KTM next season.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_895455_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_895455_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_895455_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_895455_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_895455_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_895455_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_895455_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_895455_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_895455_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Mir sees Gresini as being similar to Suzuki<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Gold and Goose<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Marc Marquez did the same for 2024, after years of struggle to get back to full fitness following his serious right arm injury in 2020 were not met with a competitive bike from Honda. He won three times with Gresini in 2024, rediscovered his love for racing and barged his way into a factory Ducati move for 2025 that ultimately led him to his seventh MotoGP title.<\/p>\n<p>More than having a competitive bike, the familial atmosphere of Gresini has seemingly helped bring out the best in riders. As of 2026, everyone who has competed for Gresini since 2022 has won a grand prix with the outfit. For Mir, who will be reunited with his title-winning crew chief Frankie Carchedi, he sees a lot of similarities between Gresini and Suzuki.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis happened that they\u2019ve had competitive bikes in the last years,\u201d Mir said of Gresini. \u201cBut, more for the competitive bike they have, which was a super important part of my decision, it\u2019s what the team transmits to the people. And that team looks super familial. It\u2019s similar to Suzuki; you remember how people spoke about that.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMarc went there [to Gresini] in the worst moment of his career, Alex the same; he was pointing outside of the championship in a certain moment. And look now? He enjoys riding, he made his career longer, and I think that also the story of the team, Nadia [Padovani] taking over the role of managing the team &#8211; it\u2019s a beautiful story. I\u2019m motivated for the future; I will not lie. Also, I\u2019m motivated to close this chapter with Honda in the best way possible, not struggling, just enjoying a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316323_hires.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316323_hires.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316323_hires.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316323_hires.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316323_hires.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316323_hires.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316323_hires.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316323_hires.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316323_hires.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Joan Mir: &#8220;I&#8217;ve not enjoyed racing for a long time, and I want to do that again&#8221;<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Gold and Goose<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Assuming nothing changes across the rest of this season, it will have been seven years since Mir won his only MotoGP race on his way to the title in 2020 when he lines up on the 2027 grid with Gresini. There\u2019s no escaping the fact that this is a shocking statistic for a rider with a demonstrably higher quality than his results suggest.<\/p>\n<p>This, coupled with his struggles at Honda, has seen Mir come in for a lot of criticism and raised some eyebrows when he secured a top ride for 2027 while other race winners have missed out. As we conclude our interview, I pose one final question to the 28-year-old: What have people forgotten about Joan Mir?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s a good question but is difficult to answer, because people forget very quickly and the people see what they want to see,\u201d he began. \u201cThe other point of view is what we\u2019ve been able to do with a non-competitive bike in these years, like in Barcelona when we fought for the victory; we made two podiums with Honda in normal conditions, which in the last years I don\u2019t know who else has been able to do that [with this bike].<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt Suzuki we earned a championship. The people think like, \u2018How did I win?\u2019 The question is not how? I mean, the point is I won a championship with a manufacturer that hadn\u2019t won any championships for 20 years. When I went to MotoGP, I had the offer to go with Honda, with Ducati, with brands that were winning, and I took a risk to do that [go with Suzuki] because my dream was to be like Kevin Schwantz, who won with a completely different bike and he became a legend. And nowadays, to do things differently, it looks like it removes value from you.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1335195_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1335195_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1335195_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1335195_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1335195_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1335195_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1335195_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1335195_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1335195_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Joan Mir, 2026 Silverstone MotoGP.<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Gold and Goose<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cIf I did the same thing with Yamaha or Honda, which were the bikes that were winning in those years, maybe that was more valuable or what? I thought it was the opposite. We won that title being consistent, because the bike was a Suzuki. We won with a very small team. We won with a team that was giving 100%, and I am so proud of them. But we beat a super big manufacturer with a small one. And that is the most difficult thing for me. I am super proud of it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor sure, I go next year where I go because I want to prove things. But in MotoGP, you never know; I don\u2019t know how I will feel next year. But in case I feel good, it\u2019s for me &#8211; it\u2019s not for them [the people]. That is the most important thing, to prove to myself, probably nothing, but to enjoy it again. I\u2019ve not enjoyed racing for a long time, and I want to do that again\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block block-campaign-monitor\">\n<h2>Sign up for the Crash MotoGP Newsletter<\/h2>\n<div class=\"extra-info js-form-wrapper form-wrapper\" data-drupal-selector=\"edit-legal\" id=\"edit-legal--2\">\n<p>Your information will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"block block-field-keywords block-layout-builder\">\n<h2>Tags:<\/h2>\n<div class=\"field_keywords\">Joan Mir<\/div>\n<div class=\"field_keywords\">Honda HRC (MotoGP)<\/div>\n<div class=\"field_keywords\">Gresini Racing MotoGP<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"block block-next-prev\">\n<div class=\"next-prev-pager contextual-region\">\n<div class=\"items\">\n<div class=\"item prev\">\n<h3> Previous <span>Article<\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"card card_plain\">\n<div class=\"content\"> Podcast: Is Aragon make-or-break for Ducati\u2019s MotoGP title hopes? <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"item next\">\n<h3> Next <span>Article<\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"card card_plain\">\n<div class=\"content\"> Marco Bezzecchi reveals \u201cslight setback\u201d in recovery ahead of Aragon MotoGP <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-author-block block block-configurable-views-block\">\n<div class=\"author-view grid-view js-view-dom-id-e59b21c3621371bb3b761c4e0a0fdff8d6ff79e882b0c62376c2dfd2771290f6\">\n<div class=\"card user default\">\n<div class=\"image\"> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/pictures\/img_8107.JPG?height=270&amp;format=webp 270w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/pictures\/img_8107.JPG?height=180&amp;format=webp 180w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/pictures\/img_8107.JPG?height=90&amp;format=webp 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"header\">\n<div class=\"text\">\n<div class=\"name\">Lewis Duncan<\/div>\n<div class=\"role\">Head of Editorial<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"desc\">\n<div>Lewis joined the Crash.net team in August of 2024 having been a journalist for five years covering MotoGP for the Motorsport Network. In February of 2026, he became Head of Editorial.\u00a0<\/div>\n<div>\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"views-element-container block block-views-blockrelated-content-related-content-block\">\n<h3>Related Articles<\/h3>\n<div class=\"grid-view grid-2 js-view-dom-id-9eef0fe52a5a1cb59bed77fc4af5db0d5db86684070653a6a36b70ed702a9439\">\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Ducati MotoGP nearly back to full strength as injured rider gets back on a bike<\/p><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1328406_hires.jpg?aspect_ratio=1:1\" alt=\"Fermin Aldeguer, 2026 MotoGP Dutch Grand Prix. Credit: Gold and Goose.\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Honda close to MotoGP rider development deal with leading Moto2 team?<\/p><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1327325_hires_1600x900.jpg?aspect_ratio=1:1\" alt=\"Honda RC213V, 2026 Silverstone MotoGP. \" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cCountdown is on\u201d &#8211; Aleix Espargaro targets Honda MotoGP return after surgery<\/p><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1314501_hires_1600x900.jpg?aspect_ratio=1:1\" alt=\"Aleix Espargaro.\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>MotoGP rider calls for calendar revision, but not less races<\/p><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1336621_hires_0.jpg?aspect_ratio=1:1\" alt=\"Luca Marini battles Fabio Quartararo, Brad Binder at 2026 MotoGP British Grand Prix. Credit: Gold and Goose.\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cAmazing job\u201d &#8211; Luca Marini on where Joan Mir \u201cmakes the difference\u201d in MotoGP qualifying<\/p><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1308026_hires_1600x900.jpg?aspect_ratio=1:1\" alt=\"Luca Marini, Joan Mir, MotoGP 2026.\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>How \u201creally smooth\u201d Alex Marquez maximised Ducati potential at Silverstone MotoGP<\/p><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1336448_hires.jpg?aspect_ratio=1:1\" alt=\"Alex Marquez leads Marc Marquez, 2026 MotoGP British Grand Prix. Credit: Gold and Goose.\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col second-column\">\n<div class=\"sticky\">\n<div class=\"component-card-default block block-configurable-views-block\">\n<h2>Latest News<\/h2>\n<div class=\"component-blocks-view grid-view js-view-dom-id-87dabb8166897e3f3a25abaa8ede5a8227b0c1b483b894f8c44d301caced285a\">\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>KTM MotoGP star Pedro Acosta completes 24-hour kart race at Le Mans<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1787673569\"> 54m ago<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1336962_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1336962_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1336962_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Marc Marquez reveals surprising impact of ongoing shoulder injury struggles<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1787670044\"> 1h ago<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1336852_hires.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1336852_hires.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1336852_hires.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>MotoGP announces senior management reshuffle<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1787657295\"> 5h ago<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1328185_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1328185_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1328185_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Marco Bezzecchi reveals \u201cslight setback\u201d in recovery ahead of Aragon MotoGP<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1787652052\"> 6h ago<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1336840_hires.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1336840_hires.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1336840_hires.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Podcast: Is Aragon make-or-break for Ducati\u2019s MotoGP title hopes?<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1787645875\"> 8h ago<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1336285_hires.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1336285_hires.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1336285_hires.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"main-lists block block-campaign-monitor\">\n<h2>Sign up for the Crash MotoGP Newsletter<\/h2>\n<div class=\"extra-info js-form-wrapper form-wrapper\" data-drupal-selector=\"edit-legal\" id=\"edit-legal\">\n<p>Your information will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"component-card-default block block-configurable-views-block\">\n<h2>More News<\/h2>\n<div class=\"component-blocks-view grid-view js-view-dom-id-b4b4d1ee83517cc2993a917ccfe8909f59bdd1a75cf44f5a2105a52df07a0cba\">\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Official: Maverick Vinales out of Aragon MotoGP, Tech3 names replacement<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1787642999\"> 9h ago<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1333999_hires.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1333999_hires.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1333999_hires.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cPerfect time\u201d &#8211; Johann Zarco surprised by speed of MotoGP recovery<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1787586955\"> 24\/08\/26<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1315442_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1315442_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1315442_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u2018Decisive week\u2019 as Yamaha MotoGP rider closes on Ducati WorldSBK seat<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1787584315\"> 24\/08\/26<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1331543_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1331543_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1331543_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Ohlins insight: Valentino Rossi, Marc Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia MotoGP feedback<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1787580055\"> 24\/08\/26<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_803437_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_803437_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_803437_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cNever easy\u201d &#8211; Enea Bastianini bids farewell to Tech3 ahead of 2027 MotoGP move<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1787571835\"> 24\/08\/26<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1330778_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1330778_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1330778_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"summary body\">\n<p>Exclusive interview: Joan Mir has endured some lean years since winning an unlikely world championship in 2020. Now off to pasture new in 2027 with the Gresini MotoGP team, he goes with only one goal in his mind &#8211; and that\u2019s not to prove anything to anyone but himself\u2026<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"body\">\n<p>It takes a rider of considerable talent to win the Moto3 title in their second season, spend just one campaign in Moto2 before making the move to MotoGP, and then become world champion with one of the grid\u2019s smallest factory teams after just two years.<\/p>\n<p>Yet, these are achievements that have long since faded into the rearview mirror for Joan Mir. His title defence with Suzuki in 2021 was pegged back by a lack of development on the GSX-RR, with the Spaniard slipping to third in the standings.<\/p>\n<p>In the middle of negotiations to extend his stay with Suzuki into 2023, the Japanese brand sensationally pulled the plug on its MotoGP project early into the 2022 campaign. Mir was left scrabbling about for a ride with few up for grabs. He landed one at the factory Honda squad, just as HRC hit its nadir in the modern four-stroke era.<\/p>\n<p>He managed a best of fifth in an injury-ravaged 2023 season, as team-mate Marc Marquez hit the eject button and gambled on a move to Gresini Ducati to rebuild his stalled career. For 2024, Mir was left to lead the factory Honda team, but couldn\u2019t crack the top 10 in a season he failed to see a chequered flag in a grand prix 10 times.<\/p>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_897373_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_897373_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_897373_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_897373_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_897373_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_897373_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_897373_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_897373_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_897373_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Mir was world champion with Suzuki in his second year in MotoGP<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Gold and Goose<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>There was some light at the end of the tunnel in 2025, as he managed a pair of third-place finishes in normal conditions in Japan and Malaysia. But that progress for Honda hasn\u2019t continued into 2026, with the brand now shifting its focus fully to its 2027 850cc project and the resurgence it hopes to have with Fabio Quartararo at the helm.<\/p>\n<p>After the British Grand Prix, Mir sits 18th in the standings on 29 points, five behind LCR\u2019s Johann Zarco, who hasn\u2019t turned a wheel since a horrifying crash at the Catalan Grand Prix in May. Partly, that\u2019s down to a tyre pressure penalty denying Mir a second-place finish and 20 points at Barcelona. But mainly, his attrition rate remains too high.<\/p>\n<p>Of the 68 races he\u2019s started for Honda since 2023, he\u2019s failed to see the chequered flag on 40 occasions. Not all of those have been his own doing, but enough of them have for it to be a concerning trend.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think we started the season with higher expectations, and also the test at Sepang was very good, I remember,\u201d Mir says, reflecting on the 2026 season when <em>Crash <\/em>sits down with him at the British Grand Prix. \u201cThe first races were not bad, but we couldn\u2019t finish the race because, probably, I was too optimistic. I wanted to start the year in the same way that I finished; I wanted that too badly. And that made me risk more than what I should, and there were a lot of crashes. That was a bit of a lack of management on my part. I thought that our momentum was there and that I could finish with those results, and then that led to a lot of crashes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If there is one thing Mir can\u2019t be accused of, it\u2019s a lack of trying. Honda has been a shadow of its past, glorious self, for the duration of his tenure with the brand. Taking this year alone, he lost at least a fifth place to a crash in Thailand, a seventh in Brazil, a sixth in the USA, a sixth in France, an eighth in Hungary and an 11th in Germany. That\u2019s 58 points extra that would currently see him leading team-mate Luca Marini in the standings.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-09028.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-09028.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-09028.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-09028.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-09028.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-09028.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-09028.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-09028.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-09028.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Mir has been fast at Honda, but has crashed too many times<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Tony Goldsmith<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cI think people always check the list of where I am now in the championship,\u201d he said. \u201cBut if in those races I didn\u2019t crash and I scored those points, I would be top six or top five in the championship. But that\u2019s not the way to do something &#8211; you need to finish. We have the potential, I think that we are very close to finish those things and not expecting struggle from the others [to deliver us good results].<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe can earn those good results from our speed. This is something I also assume a lot of responsibility for, because until now I struggled a lot to do that. I remember back in the Suzuki days, or in the past, I was not feeling like this because I knew I had the package. The risk, I could manage to one point, but for me it\u2019s very hard to come here knowing I don\u2019t have the possibility.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mir\u2019s ability to wring the neck out of the Honda hasn\u2019t gone unnoticed, with Marini noting recently: \u201cJoan is doing an amazing job, because he brakes really hard and deep in these last couple of events, and he&#8217;s able to make the difference in qualifying compared to me.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>&#8216;I expected more from Honda&#8217;<\/h2>\n<p>But there is only so much a rider can do when the bike can\u2019t come along for the ride. HRC test rider Aleix Espargaro\u2019s huge claim that the 2026 Honda was the best bike he\u2019d ever ridden in the pre-season hasn\u2019t been followed up with the big results that were expected. Honda is currently down 22 points at this stage of the season compared to the same point in 2025, when it had scored a win in wet conditions in France and a dry podium in Britain.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-08775_0.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-08775_0.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-08775_0.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-08775_0.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-08775_0.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-08775_0.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-08775_0.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-08775_0.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-08775_0.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Honda&#8217;s 2026 development has slowed<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Tony Goldsmith<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Honda\u2019s rate of development has always been more cautious than its rivals\u2019. And with a new regulations cycle coming up in 2027, resources have had to be diverted. Both Mir and Marini have called on Honda to keep bringing new parts to the 2026 bike, because they will be useful in development for 2027. But it\u2019s seemingly a request that has fallen on deaf ears.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cInside the team, the box, the environment is very good, and I feel like they listen to me and they also want good results,\u201d Mir said of Honda. \u201cAnd when I crash, they suffer and they struggle. But the reality is, it\u2019s been half a season, and we didn\u2019t receive anything super positive to continue our progress.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat, I will not lie, I\u2019m a bit disappointed [about] also because I expected more. I think that if somebody here [in MotoGP] can follow two progress lines, it\u2019s Honda. I probably expected more, but probably they are working so hard, and now at the end of the season I will get it all! Who knows? I don\u2019t think so (<em>he says with a chuckle<\/em>), but if they start making evolutions and we start receiving those things, that also motivates me to keep pushing. If not, it\u2019s hard. I feel like in 2023 it was like this, where we struggled a lot and nothing was coming. And then in \u201924 it changed a bit, \u201925 also. And now this year, we are again waiting for more.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"ins-related_content dsp-related_content_in_article\">\n<h2>Read Also<\/h2>\n<div class=\"related-content-in-body js-view-dom-id-d18e346edaaa8e4cfad41df1227df75a4288858f50f2e3486a894853dc80c47c\">\n<div class=\"item-list\">\n<ul>\n<li>Ohlins insight: Valentino Rossi, Marc Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia MotoGP feedback<\/li>\n<li>\u201cOnly one goal\u201d &#8211; Honda, Fabio Quartararo share \u201cclear\u201d MotoGP target <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Honda made a major rider market play at the beginning of the year in signing 2021 world champion Quartararo from Yamaha. With Zarco and Diogo Moreira locked in on deals, only one seat remained at Honda for 2027. For a while, both Mir and Marini were in the frame. But after the Spanish Grand Prix, Mir decided he needed a fresh start.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Before committing to Suzuki, Mir had strong links to a Ducati ride. In hindsight, it\u2019s easy to look at this as a major missed opportunity. That chance has come around again, with Mir getting a factory bike at Gresini next season. That said, he doesn\u2019t regret his career choices to date.<\/p>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/mir-gresini_1600x900.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/mir-gresini_1600x900.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/mir-gresini_1600x900.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/mir-gresini_1600x900.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/mir-gresini_1600x900.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/mir-gresini_1600x900.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/mir-gresini_1600x900.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/mir-gresini_1600x900.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/mir-gresini_1600x900.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Joan Mir joins Gresini Ducati for 2027.<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m a little bit more burned than probably my rivals,\u201d he adds. \u201cIn certain moments of my career I could have chosen different ways, as with everyone. But I chose this one [Honda], and I don\u2019t regret it. But for me, what was something that I had very inside of me, staying here giving more chances, was something that came to my mind, to continue like this. But I need a change.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI need a change for my mind, for everything. I wish them the best for the future. And if next year they are able to have a competitive bike, I will be happy because I was part of that. But I need a change. This is something that is part of the process and will be part of my career. I cannot wait more time. And maybe, because next year nobody knows, this is not the right decision. But this decision was taken with the heart. I think if you take the decision with the heart, it\u2019s the right one.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>&#8220;I&#8217;ve not enjoyed racing for a long time &#8211; I want to do that again&#8221;<\/h2>\n<p>Mir will also be following in the footsteps of two former Honda riders who ultimately found Gresini to be the environment that would help them rejuvenate their stalled careers. Alex Marquez, disillusioned with Honda come 2022, decided to try his luck on a year-old Ducati at Gresini. He\u2019s now a multiple MotoGP race winner, a championship runner-up and put himself in the picture to snatch a factory deal to join KTM next season.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_895455_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_895455_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_895455_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_895455_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_895455_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_895455_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_895455_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_895455_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_895455_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Mir sees Gresini as being similar to Suzuki<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Gold and Goose<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Marc Marquez did the same for 2024, after years of struggle to get back to full fitness following his serious right arm injury in 2020 were not met with a competitive bike from Honda. He won three times with Gresini in 2024, rediscovered his love for racing and barged his way into a factory Ducati move for 2025 that ultimately led him to his seventh MotoGP title.<\/p>\n<p>More than having a competitive bike, the familial atmosphere of Gresini has seemingly helped bring out the best in riders. As of 2026, everyone who has competed for Gresini since 2022 has won a grand prix with the outfit. For Mir, who will be reunited with his title-winning crew chief Frankie Carchedi, he sees a lot of similarities between Gresini and Suzuki.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis happened that they\u2019ve had competitive bikes in the last years,\u201d Mir said of Gresini. \u201cBut, more for the competitive bike they have, which was a super important part of my decision, it\u2019s what the team transmits to the people. And that team looks super familial. It\u2019s similar to Suzuki; you remember how people spoke about that.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMarc went there [to Gresini] in the worst moment of his career, Alex the same; he was pointing outside of the championship in a certain moment. And look now? He enjoys riding, he made his career longer, and I think that also the story of the team, Nadia [Padovani] taking over the role of managing the team &#8211; it\u2019s a beautiful story. I\u2019m motivated for the future; I will not lie. Also, I\u2019m motivated to close this chapter with Honda in the best way possible, not struggling, just enjoying a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316323_hires.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316323_hires.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316323_hires.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316323_hires.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316323_hires.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316323_hires.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316323_hires.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316323_hires.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316323_hires.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Joan Mir: &#8220;I&#8217;ve not enjoyed racing for a long time, and I want to do that again&#8221;<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Gold and Goose<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Assuming nothing changes across the rest of this season, it will have been seven years since Mir won his only MotoGP race on his way to the title in 2020 when he lines up on the 2027 grid with Gresini. There\u2019s no escaping the fact that this is a shocking statistic for a rider with a demonstrably higher quality than his results suggest.<\/p>\n<p>This, coupled with his struggles at Honda, has seen Mir come in for a lot of criticism and raised some eyebrows when he secured a top ride for 2027 while other race winners have missed out. As we conclude our interview, I pose one final question to the 28-year-old: What have people forgotten about Joan Mir?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s a good question but is difficult to answer, because people forget very quickly and the people see what they want to see,\u201d he began. \u201cThe other point of view is what we\u2019ve been able to do with a non-competitive bike in these years, like in Barcelona when we fought for the victory; we made two podiums with Honda in normal conditions, which in the last years I don\u2019t know who else has been able to do that [with this bike].<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt Suzuki we earned a championship. The people think like, \u2018How did I win?\u2019 The question is not how? I mean, the point is I won a championship with a manufacturer that hadn\u2019t won any championships for 20 years. When I went to MotoGP, I had the offer to go with Honda, with Ducati, with brands that were winning, and I took a risk to do that [go with Suzuki] because my dream was to be like Kevin Schwantz, who won with a completely different bike and he became a legend. And nowadays, to do things differently, it looks like it removes value from you.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1335195_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1335195_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1335195_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1335195_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1335195_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1335195_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1335195_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1335195_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1335195_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Joan Mir, 2026 Silverstone MotoGP.<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Gold and Goose<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cIf I did the same thing with Yamaha or Honda, which were the bikes that were winning in those years, maybe that was more valuable or what? I thought it was the opposite. We won that title being consistent, because the bike was a Suzuki. We won with a very small team. We won with a team that was giving 100%, and I am so proud of them. But we beat a super big manufacturer with a small one. And that is the most difficult thing for me. I am super proud of it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor sure, I go next year where I go because I want to prove things. But in MotoGP, you never know; I don\u2019t know how I will feel next year. But in case I feel good, it\u2019s for me &#8211; it\u2019s not for them [the people]. That is the most important thing, to prove to myself, probably nothing, but to enjoy it again. I\u2019ve not enjoyed racing for a long time, and I want to do that again\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block block-campaign-monitor\">\n<h2>Sign up for the Crash MotoGP Newsletter<\/h2>\n<div class=\"extra-info js-form-wrapper form-wrapper\" data-drupal-selector=\"edit-legal\" id=\"edit-legal--2\">\n<p>Your information will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"body\">\n<p>It takes a rider of considerable talent to win the Moto3 title in their second season, spend just one campaign in Moto2 before making the move to MotoGP, and then become world champion with one of the grid\u2019s smallest factory teams after just two years.<\/p>\n<p>Yet, these are achievements that have long since faded into the rearview mirror for Joan Mir. His title defence with Suzuki in 2021 was pegged back by a lack of development on the GSX-RR, with the Spaniard slipping to third in the standings.<\/p>\n<p>In the middle of negotiations to extend his stay with Suzuki into 2023, the Japanese brand sensationally pulled the plug on its MotoGP project early into the 2022 campaign. Mir was left scrabbling about for a ride with few up for grabs. He landed one at the factory Honda squad, just as HRC hit its nadir in the modern four-stroke era.<\/p>\n<p>He managed a best of fifth in an injury-ravaged 2023 season, as team-mate Marc Marquez hit the eject button and gambled on a move to Gresini Ducati to rebuild his stalled career. For 2024, Mir was left to lead the factory Honda team, but couldn\u2019t crack the top 10 in a season he failed to see a chequered flag in a grand prix 10 times.<\/p>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_897373_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_897373_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_897373_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_897373_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_897373_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_897373_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_897373_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_897373_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_897373_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Mir was world champion with Suzuki in his second year in MotoGP<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Gold and Goose<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>There was some light at the end of the tunnel in 2025, as he managed a pair of third-place finishes in normal conditions in Japan and Malaysia. But that progress for Honda hasn\u2019t continued into 2026, with the brand now shifting its focus fully to its 2027 850cc project and the resurgence it hopes to have with Fabio Quartararo at the helm.<\/p>\n<p>After the British Grand Prix, Mir sits 18th in the standings on 29 points, five behind LCR\u2019s Johann Zarco, who hasn\u2019t turned a wheel since a horrifying crash at the Catalan Grand Prix in May. Partly, that\u2019s down to a tyre pressure penalty denying Mir a second-place finish and 20 points at Barcelona. But mainly, his attrition rate remains too high.<\/p>\n<p>Of the 68 races he\u2019s started for Honda since 2023, he\u2019s failed to see the chequered flag on 40 occasions. Not all of those have been his own doing, but enough of them have for it to be a concerning trend.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think we started the season with higher expectations, and also the test at Sepang was very good, I remember,\u201d Mir says, reflecting on the 2026 season when <em>Crash <\/em>sits down with him at the British Grand Prix. \u201cThe first races were not bad, but we couldn\u2019t finish the race because, probably, I was too optimistic. I wanted to start the year in the same way that I finished; I wanted that too badly. And that made me risk more than what I should, and there were a lot of crashes. That was a bit of a lack of management on my part. I thought that our momentum was there and that I could finish with those results, and then that led to a lot of crashes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If there is one thing Mir can\u2019t be accused of, it\u2019s a lack of trying. Honda has been a shadow of its past, glorious self, for the duration of his tenure with the brand. Taking this year alone, he lost at least a fifth place to a crash in Thailand, a seventh in Brazil, a sixth in the USA, a sixth in France, an eighth in Hungary and an 11th in Germany. That\u2019s 58 points extra that would currently see him leading team-mate Luca Marini in the standings.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-09028.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-09028.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-09028.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-09028.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-09028.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-09028.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-09028.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-09028.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-09028.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Mir has been fast at Honda, but has crashed too many times<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Tony Goldsmith<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cI think people always check the list of where I am now in the championship,\u201d he said. \u201cBut if in those races I didn\u2019t crash and I scored those points, I would be top six or top five in the championship. But that\u2019s not the way to do something &#8211; you need to finish. We have the potential, I think that we are very close to finish those things and not expecting struggle from the others [to deliver us good results].<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe can earn those good results from our speed. This is something I also assume a lot of responsibility for, because until now I struggled a lot to do that. I remember back in the Suzuki days, or in the past, I was not feeling like this because I knew I had the package. The risk, I could manage to one point, but for me it\u2019s very hard to come here knowing I don\u2019t have the possibility.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mir\u2019s ability to wring the neck out of the Honda hasn\u2019t gone unnoticed, with Marini noting recently: \u201cJoan is doing an amazing job, because he brakes really hard and deep in these last couple of events, and he&#8217;s able to make the difference in qualifying compared to me.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>&#8216;I expected more from Honda&#8217;<\/h2>\n<p>But there is only so much a rider can do when the bike can\u2019t come along for the ride. HRC test rider Aleix Espargaro\u2019s huge claim that the 2026 Honda was the best bike he\u2019d ever ridden in the pre-season hasn\u2019t been followed up with the big results that were expected. Honda is currently down 22 points at this stage of the season compared to the same point in 2025, when it had scored a win in wet conditions in France and a dry podium in Britain.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-08775_0.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-08775_0.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-08775_0.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-08775_0.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-08775_0.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-08775_0.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-08775_0.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-08775_0.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/joan-mir-2026-british-motogp-08775_0.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Honda&#8217;s 2026 development has slowed<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Tony Goldsmith<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Honda\u2019s rate of development has always been more cautious than its rivals\u2019. And with a new regulations cycle coming up in 2027, resources have had to be diverted. Both Mir and Marini have called on Honda to keep bringing new parts to the 2026 bike, because they will be useful in development for 2027. But it\u2019s seemingly a request that has fallen on deaf ears.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cInside the team, the box, the environment is very good, and I feel like they listen to me and they also want good results,\u201d Mir said of Honda. \u201cAnd when I crash, they suffer and they struggle. But the reality is, it\u2019s been half a season, and we didn\u2019t receive anything super positive to continue our progress.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat, I will not lie, I\u2019m a bit disappointed [about] also because I expected more. I think that if somebody here [in MotoGP] can follow two progress lines, it\u2019s Honda. I probably expected more, but probably they are working so hard, and now at the end of the season I will get it all! Who knows? I don\u2019t think so (<em>he says with a chuckle<\/em>), but if they start making evolutions and we start receiving those things, that also motivates me to keep pushing. If not, it\u2019s hard. I feel like in 2023 it was like this, where we struggled a lot and nothing was coming. And then in \u201924 it changed a bit, \u201925 also. And now this year, we are again waiting for more.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"ins-related_content dsp-related_content_in_article\">\n<h2>Read Also<\/h2>\n<div class=\"related-content-in-body js-view-dom-id-d18e346edaaa8e4cfad41df1227df75a4288858f50f2e3486a894853dc80c47c\">\n<div class=\"item-list\">\n<ul>\n<li>Ohlins insight: Valentino Rossi, Marc Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia MotoGP feedback<\/li>\n<li>\u201cOnly one goal\u201d &#8211; Honda, Fabio Quartararo share \u201cclear\u201d MotoGP target <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Honda made a major rider market play at the beginning of the year in signing 2021 world champion Quartararo from Yamaha. With Zarco and Diogo Moreira locked in on deals, only one seat remained at Honda for 2027. For a while, both Mir and Marini were in the frame. But after the Spanish Grand Prix, Mir decided he needed a fresh start.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Before committing to Suzuki, Mir had strong links to a Ducati ride. In hindsight, it\u2019s easy to look at this as a major missed opportunity. That chance has come around again, with Mir getting a factory bike at Gresini next season. That said, he doesn\u2019t regret his career choices to date.<\/p>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/mir-gresini_1600x900.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/mir-gresini_1600x900.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/mir-gresini_1600x900.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/mir-gresini_1600x900.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/mir-gresini_1600x900.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/mir-gresini_1600x900.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/mir-gresini_1600x900.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/mir-gresini_1600x900.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/mir-gresini_1600x900.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Joan Mir joins Gresini Ducati for 2027.<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m a little bit more burned than probably my rivals,\u201d he adds. \u201cIn certain moments of my career I could have chosen different ways, as with everyone. But I chose this one [Honda], and I don\u2019t regret it. But for me, what was something that I had very inside of me, staying here giving more chances, was something that came to my mind, to continue like this. But I need a change.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI need a change for my mind, for everything. I wish them the best for the future. And if next year they are able to have a competitive bike, I will be happy because I was part of that. But I need a change. This is something that is part of the process and will be part of my career. I cannot wait more time. And maybe, because next year nobody knows, this is not the right decision. But this decision was taken with the heart. I think if you take the decision with the heart, it\u2019s the right one.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>&#8220;I&#8217;ve not enjoyed racing for a long time &#8211; I want to do that again&#8221;<\/h2>\n<p>Mir will also be following in the footsteps of two former Honda riders who ultimately found Gresini to be the environment that would help them rejuvenate their stalled careers. Alex Marquez, disillusioned with Honda come 2022, decided to try his luck on a year-old Ducati at Gresini. He\u2019s now a multiple MotoGP race winner, a championship runner-up and put himself in the picture to snatch a factory deal to join KTM next season.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_895455_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_895455_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_895455_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_895455_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_895455_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_895455_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_895455_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_895455_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_895455_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Mir sees Gresini as being similar to Suzuki<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Gold and Goose<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Marc Marquez did the same for 2024, after years of struggle to get back to full fitness following his serious right arm injury in 2020 were not met with a competitive bike from Honda. He won three times with Gresini in 2024, rediscovered his love for racing and barged his way into a factory Ducati move for 2025 that ultimately led him to his seventh MotoGP title.<\/p>\n<p>More than having a competitive bike, the familial atmosphere of Gresini has seemingly helped bring out the best in riders. As of 2026, everyone who has competed for Gresini since 2022 has won a grand prix with the outfit. For Mir, who will be reunited with his title-winning crew chief Frankie Carchedi, he sees a lot of similarities between Gresini and Suzuki.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis happened that they\u2019ve had competitive bikes in the last years,\u201d Mir said of Gresini. \u201cBut, more for the competitive bike they have, which was a super important part of my decision, it\u2019s what the team transmits to the people. And that team looks super familial. It\u2019s similar to Suzuki; you remember how people spoke about that.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMarc went there [to Gresini] in the worst moment of his career, Alex the same; he was pointing outside of the championship in a certain moment. And look now? He enjoys riding, he made his career longer, and I think that also the story of the team, Nadia [Padovani] taking over the role of managing the team &#8211; it\u2019s a beautiful story. I\u2019m motivated for the future; I will not lie. Also, I\u2019m motivated to close this chapter with Honda in the best way possible, not struggling, just enjoying a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316323_hires.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316323_hires.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316323_hires.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316323_hires.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316323_hires.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316323_hires.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316323_hires.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316323_hires.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316323_hires.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Joan Mir: &#8220;I&#8217;ve not enjoyed racing for a long time, and I want to do that again&#8221;<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Gold and Goose<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Assuming nothing changes across the rest of this season, it will have been seven years since Mir won his only MotoGP race on his way to the title in 2020 when he lines up on the 2027 grid with Gresini. There\u2019s no escaping the fact that this is a shocking statistic for a rider with a demonstrably higher quality than his results suggest.<\/p>\n<p>This, coupled with his struggles at Honda, has seen Mir come in for a lot of criticism and raised some eyebrows when he secured a top ride for 2027 while other race winners have missed out. As we conclude our interview, I pose one final question to the 28-year-old: What have people forgotten about Joan Mir?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s a good question but is difficult to answer, because people forget very quickly and the people see what they want to see,\u201d he began. \u201cThe other point of view is what we\u2019ve been able to do with a non-competitive bike in these years, like in Barcelona when we fought for the victory; we made two podiums with Honda in normal conditions, which in the last years I don\u2019t know who else has been able to do that [with this bike].<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt Suzuki we earned a championship. The people think like, \u2018How did I win?\u2019 The question is not how? I mean, the point is I won a championship with a manufacturer that hadn\u2019t won any championships for 20 years. When I went to MotoGP, I had the offer to go with Honda, with Ducati, with brands that were winning, and I took a risk to do that [go with Suzuki] because my dream was to be like Kevin Schwantz, who won with a completely different bike and he became a legend. And nowadays, to do things differently, it looks like it removes value from you.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1335195_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1335195_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1335195_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1335195_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1335195_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1335195_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1335195_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1335195_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1335195_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Joan Mir, 2026 Silverstone MotoGP.<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Gold and Goose<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cIf I did the same thing with Yamaha or Honda, which were the bikes that were winning in those years, maybe that was more valuable or what? I thought it was the opposite. We won that title being consistent, because the bike was a Suzuki. We won with a very small team. We won with a team that was giving 100%, and I am so proud of them. But we beat a super big manufacturer with a small one. And that is the most difficult thing for me. I am super proud of it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor sure, I go next year where I go because I want to prove things. But in MotoGP, you never know; I don\u2019t know how I will feel next year. But in case I feel good, it\u2019s for me &#8211; it\u2019s not for them [the people]. That is the most important thing, to prove to myself, probably nothing, but to enjoy it again. I\u2019ve not enjoyed racing for a long time, and I want to do that again\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block block-campaign-monitor\">\n<h2>Sign up for the Crash MotoGP Newsletter<\/h2>\n<div class=\"extra-info js-form-wrapper form-wrapper\" data-drupal-selector=\"edit-legal\" id=\"edit-legal--2\">\n<p>Your information will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;http:\/\/crash.net\/motogp\/feature\/1102990\/1\/what-youve-forgotten-about-motogps-underrated-champion&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-08\/gng_1316493_hires.jpg?width=1600&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9&#8243;] What you\u2019ve forgotten about MotoGP\u2019s underrated champion Exclusive interview: Joan Mir has endured some lean years since winning an unlikely world championship in 2020. Now off to pasture new in 2027 with the Gresini MotoGP team, he goes with only one goal in his mind &#8211; and that\u2019s not to prove anything [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[47,226],"class_list":["post-2111179","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crash-net","tag-crawlmanager"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2111179","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2111179"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2111179\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2111179"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2111179"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2111179"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}