Joan Mille: "Now I'm back to my natural style"

Former MotoGP champion Joan Mir returned to the premier class podium with Honda this season, practically 4 years after his final podium with Suzuki.

Mir, who achieved solely two top-10 finishes in his two years with Honda till 2025, should have had moments when he doubted whether or not he would ever obtain that aim.

The season started with Mir solely profitable one of many opening six Grands Prix, as a result of a mix of unhealthy luck, accidents and overrides.

“For the primary half of the 12 months, the perfect I may do with this bike was end within the prime seven,” Mir mentioned. crash web.

“If somebody did greater than that, it was due to the circumstances and bizarre circumstances. However even when they did not, the true probability was to place all of it collectively and end within the prime seven.

“We scored the seventh aim in opposition to Aragon, nevertheless it was tough to attain extra except somebody was lacking.”

Mir then took sixth place in Austria between additional DNFs, however the turning level got here after the newest RCV aerodynamic and engine upgrades had been launched at Barcelona.

“After Barcelona, we improved the aerodynamics and the engine connection a little bit bit, which was one thing that was bothering me lots, and for me personally, we had been in a position to click on,” Mir defined.

All of it got here collectively in Japan two rounds later.

Mir grew to become HRC Staff’s first MotoGP podium since Marc Marquez on the identical Motegi circuit in 2023, additional contributing to an early season win and podium for LCR Honda rider Johann Zarco.

The Spaniard then repeated his podium feat at Sepang, which he charges as his greatest race of the 12 months. why?

“Due to the potential of the bike itself,” Mir mentioned. “Sepang is often traditionally not an excellent monitor for this bike, and I feel what we did there was essential.

“As a result of usually we wrestle with grip and Sepang is a monitor with very low grip.

“We needed to brake lots (to compensate) and we needed to take extra dangers than the opposite guys. I crashed in the course of the dash and I did not wish to make that mistake once more!”

“I dealt with the scenario very properly, so I might say Sepang (was my greatest race).”

Mir thrilled followers together with his late braking exploits on the Malaysian Grand Prix, an innate high quality he needed to suppress throughout his time at Suzuki.

“At Suzuki, this was not the type,” he mentioned. “I needed to adapt to the bike to be extra fluid, brake a little bit earlier and launch the brakes earlier as a result of I wanted that kind of fashion on that bike.”

“And now on the Honda, I am again to my unique type, like I used to be in Moto3 and Moto2. I actually get pleasure from braking actually arduous and holding the bike planted on the bottom.”

“However it’s a really tough factor to do. I take extra dangers than others, so I’ve to search out my limits and confidence.

“You could possibly trigger a crash, however in the event you can trip with a little bit extra margin, you may management it.”

Regardless of ending on the rostrum, Mir solely completed fifteenth within the World Championship behind Zarco and manufacturing facility teammate Luca Marini as a result of a excessive variety of non-scores in 21 of 44 races.

Nevertheless, the “upturn” in efficiency, proven by Honda’s rise from rank D to C within the concession system, has given Honda confidence heading into 2026.

“It was a giant 12 months,” he mentioned. “It was a 12 months during which we had been in a position to flip issues round from much less to extra.

“Perhaps we waited a little bit longer than we anticipated, there was a number of unhealthy luck and nil consistency. However it was a really constructive season when it comes to efficiency, the potential of the riders and the potential for Honda to show issues round.

“Now I must click on once more to extend my potential a little bit extra and be extra constant, as a result of if I’ve to run like this on a regular basis (on the restrict) it will likely be tough.

“However I hope we will begin from right here subsequent 12 months and transfer up.”