Joan Mir relief as dreadful unwanted MotoGP streak ends in Austria

Joan Mir scored his best result of the MotoGP season so far in the Austrian Grand Prix with sixth place.

The Honda HRC Castrol rider said afterwards that it was the kind of potential he felt he had in other races, but was only able to realise at the Red Bull Ring.

Mir and Johann Zarco's 15 crashes this season was the most of any rider, before the Austrian MotoGP.

Mir has eight DNFs in 13 grands prix, including three in a row before Austria where he was finally able to finish.

“At the end, we could finish a race,” Joan Mir laughed when speaking to MotoGP.com after the race in Austria.

“We gave 100 per cent.

“I think that in a couple of races we had this potential, but for some reason we couldn’t put the result together. Here, we managed to do that so I’m happy.

“Thank you to the team for the work that they’ve done during this weekend, it was a very positive one.

“Hopefully soon we get some upgrades on our package and we are able to make that step that we miss.”

Luca Marini: Last to 13th

After showing promising pace in MotoGP Practice on Friday, 13th for Luca Marini is a fairly underwhelming result, but he explained that it came after a comeback that was necessary after falling to last at the start.

“All weekend we have had really good pace and I was looking forward to the race today because I was expecting something,” he said.

“We lost some time at the start and I got sent wide at turn one and was last at one point.

“From there I just put my head down and focused on making as many overtakes as possible.

“Like we have seen in the past, when you have to come through the field it gets complicated and you arrive to a limit.

“It was an enjoyable race and we take the positives to Hungary to keep checking our new parts.”