Joan Mir: “Subconsciously we are able to give more” after Honda MotoGP turnaround
Joan Mir says Honda’s recent MotoGP podiums have lifted the whole team, helping them “subconsciously give more” heading into Portimao.
After bookending the flyaway races with his first Honda MotoGP podiums, Joan Mir heads back to Europe with confidence and expectations higher than ever.
The 2020 world champion cast off three and a half difficult years at Honda with his first rostrums since leaving Suzuki, courtesy of third places at Motegi and last time out in Malaysia.
On paper, he believes this weekend’s Portimao event should be even more favourable.
“We will see, but it’s true that expectations for this track are normally a bit higher than in Sepang,” Mir said on Thursday.
“Sepang, historically, is a track where we struggle and we could make a good weekend there. So why not here?”
Mir took his final Suzuki podium at the undulating Portuguese circuit in 2021 and was Honda’s top finisher, in 12th, at last year’s March event.
“It's a special track. A lot of blind corners. You need a lot of confidence to ride here,” he added.
And that confidence is finally returning.
“Our confidence is at the best level possible this season. Now it's important to try to find consistency. We are fast, but we need to find that consistency. It's not possible to attack at 120% all the race.
“We have to work on that, to be a little more calm and ride with a bit more margin.”
Nonetheless, fans have enjoyed seeing Mir force the RC213V to its limits.
“When you have the option of fighting for something that is worth it, you always give something more,” he said.
“I think it's subconsciously something that is happening to us at the moment.
“We are able to give something more because we are in a good mood. We know that if we make a perfect weekend, we are able to achieve very good results.
“I hope people enjoy watching it - I am also enjoying it - but to find that consistency, probably we need to slow a bit down!”
Despite his podium breakthrough, Mir sits just 15th in the MotoGP standings, having endured 25 non-scores from 40 starts so far this season.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
