says his latest string of crashes in MotoGP was attributable to him overcompensating for Honda’s weaknesses – and insists he has “no regrets” about this.
The Spaniard has arguably been Honda’s quickest rider to this point in 2026, however has only one factors end to his title from the opening three flyaways.
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On the season opener in Thailand, a tyre challenge compelled him out of fourth place, whereas he additionally crashed out of each races in Brazil whereas affected by sickness. Nonetheless, his double DNF within the US GP was completely of his personal making, leaving him with simply three factors on the desk in comparison with 23 for his team-mate .
After qualifying a wonderful fifth at Austin, Mir was chasing KTM’s for the ultimate spot on the rostrum when he tucked the entrance on the final lap of the dash. With Acosta later handed a time penalty for a tyre stress infringement, Mir would have been promoted to 3rd even when he had stayed behind his countryman.
Extra factors went begging on Sunday when, after serving a long-lap penalty for reducing a nook, he hit the deck once more whereas working in sixth. On each events in Austin, he had been comfortably forward of the opposite Honda riders.
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Defending his latest spate of incidents, Mir mentioned that Honda’s persistent rear grip points drive him to push tougher on nook entry, placing extreme load on the entrance tyre and leaving him susceptible to crashes.
“That was a promising weekend that we could not end in a great way,” he mentioned about Austin. “I used to be ready to assault and to get well as a lot as I might on the entry, the quantity of pace we’d like on the exit. And the entrance collapsed.
Mir additionally known as on Honda to make additional enhancements to the RC213V, stating that the Japanese marque’s present aggressive state of affairs forces him to take further dangers.
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“We’ve got to enhance the rear to trip in a extra enjoyable method with the entrance,” he mentioned. “I’ll attempt to do my greatest to assist the crew to take action.
“However the actuality is that if we do not enhance that, it will likely be troublesome to battle with others if I do not take these dangers.”
Mir not prepared to decrease expectationsJoan Mir, Honda HRC
Joan Mir, Honda HRC
Mir has been among the many most crash-prone riders on the grid since he joined Honda in 2023. Whereas the RC213V was notoriously troublesome to deal with in his early season on the crew, Honda has made tangible enhancements since then, with Marini finishing nearly all of the 2025 season with out main incidents.
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Mir’s kind has significantly improved because the second half of 2025, with the Spaniard guiding the manufacturing unit to podiums at each Motegi and Sepang final yr. Nonetheless, this has not led to a notable discount in crashes, significantly through the enterprise a part of race weekends.
Nonetheless, Mir says he’s unwilling to alter his method at Honda, having beforehand paid the worth for reducing his expectations.
“I like to begin the race figuring out that I’ve an opportunity,” he mentioned. “I spent essentially the most troublesome years in ‘23 and ‘24 right here for that reason [thinking I didn’t have a chance], and I do not wish to go to that [phase] once more.”
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“I am one of many individuals right here that I do not get pleasure from only for being a part of it. I get pleasure from it when I’ve the choice to battle for one thing huge, and that’s inflicting me a number of crashes.
“Right here in COTA, I needed to do it. I’ve zero regrets about myself. I believe the crew is supporting me in that method.”
The Goiania qualifying was riddled with crashes, whereas a number of riders additionally went down throughout Friday follow at Austin. Mir stored it clear on each these events, however went on to crash later in races when factors have been at stake.
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Mir insisted that this was no coincidence, explaining why he tends to fall extra whereas working in a pack.
“The factor is that after I’m alone, I can trip very quick and fairly safely,” he mentioned.
“However after I comply with the others, to cease the bike behind the slipstream of the individuals with this aero, it’s important to danger to cease in the identical method.
“If I’ve to get well, I’ve to double the danger, and that will increase our possibilities of being on the bottom.
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“That is what is going on within the races. That is why I crash in races. That is the connection.”
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