Joan Mir’s promising Cota Motogp weekend ended with frustration as HRC riders crashed from the sprint and Grand Prix race.
The former MotoGP champion has shown some of his strongest forms since joining Honda, including his top 10 (8th place) qualifiers for the first time since 2023.
But the double DNF meant that Austin missed another opportunity.
“It’s really a shame it crashes again.”
Mir was part of the group that fought fourth in Saturday’s sprint, and when he fell, he fought back from 13th to 10th in the Grand Prix before another crash.
He marked the third crash of the weekend’s Meal and the fifth crash of the season, and was on par with Priilia’s Marco Betzekki to get the most falls in the early rounds of 2025.
“It’s really a shame to run into a good position and crash again,” Mir said.
“We have a lot more possibilities and it’s really frustrating to have this happen again, especially this weekend.
“When I ride alone, I can get faster, but when I’m fighting other riders, I lose that feeling. I have to be very aggressive.
“The team and I need to work on this. This year’s situation is very different than last year. We have the potential, but we can’t put it out.”
Joan Mir, 2025 Americas Motogp Sprint
“We’re very close to the top three.”
It was an equally frustrating story after a sprint in which Mir set the fourth fastest lap before the accident, trying to make up for the RCV’s lack of top speed.
Kota’s weekend ended at 16th in the Meal on the top speed chart.
“We took the positives, we could say we’re fast, we made the same lap times as Pecco, but I don’t think we have the tools to fight,” Mir said after the sprint. “We are the last in terms of top speed.
“Crashing was my mistake, but I have to take a little more risk than the others. I need to use the optimum brakes to recover my lost distance at top speed.
“The balance with the bike is very good. I enjoy riding this bike, but on the other hand it’s frustrating.”
Mir explained that he must build a half-second advantage over the rest of the lap so that Pedro Acosta doesn’t overtake in straights.
“In Pedro, that’s frustrating because we had to be 0.5 seconds per lap faster than the rider behind us to avoid being overtaken. This is difficult.”
Mir added that brakes and constantly pushing the front tires in order to compensate for engine performance will increase front pressure and result in loss of grip.
“A similar thing happened in Argentina. We have to take more risks in the front, which increases the pressure on the front,” he said. “So, this scenario – we had it before, and if we don’t improve, we’ll have it again in the future.”
However, if Honda can find top speeds, Mir feels that he can take on his first podium since Mark Marquez on Philip Island in 2023.
Joan Mir, 2025 Americas Motogp
“If we improve – it’s not a little, we need to improve a lot – the engine, we’re very close to the top three.
“It’s not the only thing (it’s necessary), but it’s the biggest issue, especially during the race.
“You can do a little more or less grip, so you can push a little more at first, then you run out of tires, but you can play a little.
“But with the engine, every time you go straight, if someone is in the back, he’ll pass you!”
Mir said the new HRC technical director Romano Albeciano assured him that the top speed issue was being addressed.
“He told me ‘You’re fast’, they know what the problem is and they’re working hard. He said, “You should calm down!” ”
After years of searching for the right engine character, it appears that the main step in Honda’s handling was made in 2025. Now, the challenge is to increase its strength without sacrificing its new vehicle properties.
Despite Ducati’s continued advantage at the front, Honda’s early progress is visible. Japanese manufacturers rose to the end in constructor rankings and fifth.
Johann Zarco (7th) and Luca Marini (9th) also sit in the top 10 rider rankings. With three DNFs in six races, Mir is currently in 16th place. Rookie Somkiat Chantra hasn’t scored yet.
The good news for Honda Riders is that they can receive modified engines during the season under the concession system.
The post-Jeres test after the race at the end of this month is the next obvious date to try such an upgrade, but Meer said he still doesn’t know when “something better” will arrive.
The Qatar Grand Prix from April 11th to 13th will be held before the Spanish Grand Prix and the post-race test.