P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Upon announcing his departure, Marc Marquez said: “Honda will come back to the top, with me or without me. But they need time. Athletes don’t have time.”
At 26 years old, Joan Mir, former team-mate and fellow world champion, believes he can afford to wait longer than Marc Marquez for Honda’s changes to take effect. However, he does not have much more time to wait. Mir acknowledges that Honda is undergoing significant changes, but it typically takes a couple of years to determine if these changes are successful. Mir’s current HRC contract expires at the end of 2024, like most of the premier-class grid. Despite a difficult debut year on the RCV with only 26 points, Mir experienced improvements during the Valencia test with the latest 2024 prototype. He is happy with the weight, grip, and front-end feeling, which had been lacking in the previous season. Mir had more crashes than usual during the year. However, he believes it is necessary to push the limits and give 100% rather than simply finish races. Both Mir and Marquez struggled with the bike’s corner exits, with Mir preferring a fast in and out style, while some circuits do not allow for this. Mir hopes that the switch of riders like Luca Marini and Johann Zarco to Honda, along with revised rules, can help accelerate the RCV’s revival. Should the 2024 Honda be competitive, Mir is confident in his ability to perform well.
