Joan Mir ‘really close’ to 2023 MotoGP deal, ‘news soon’

The former world champion, whose team-mate Alex Rins signed for LCR Honda during the summer break, admits the ongoing uncertainty isn’t helping his on-track results.

Mir has scored just 33 out of a possible 200 points since Suzuki dropped its exit bombshell at Jerez, leaving him twelfth in the standings - and still without a podium - heading into this weekend’s Austrian round.

“I'm trying to do 100% in the situation that we are living, it’s not easy,” Mir said. “We are not crossing through a good moment as a team, and it’s probably affecting [the results] a little bit.

“Nobody [in the team] knows where they will be. Nobody knows about their future,” he added. “The mechanics want to know where you will go, to maybe go with you or not. There's a lot of things that you don't have to think [about] in a normal year.

“You can imagine… It’s difficult, but we are professionals and we give 100%.” Nonetheless, “Mentally also, a good result will give an extra push to us all.”

The good news is that Mir’s future should be officially decided shortly.

“I think we are really close, we are closer than yesterday!” he smiled. “And I think that we will have news soon about it.”

Current Repsol Honda rider Pol Espargaro is expected to be confirmed as returning to KTM, via Tech3, this weekend.

Asked if he would like to take any of his Suzuki crew with him, Mir – careful to avoid any mention of Repsol Honda – highlighted that it’s a complex issue since it would mean replacing staff currently working for his future team:

“I don't want to destroy a team. It's important, where I will go [in 2023], to understand what they want to do, the guys that are there [now]. And try to understand if some Suzuki people can come, because they don't have jobs.

“It's not that I want to bring my team to another place, because there are people already there.”