There is no hiding from the fact that it’s been a difficult start to 2023 for new Repsol Honda Team recruit Joan Mir and ahead of the Gran Premio d'Italia Oakley, the Spaniard spoke to Marca about his troubles so far in HRC orange.
“It's very difficult. I'm not going to lie. Sometimes when you put on the mask of saying that everything is fine and such, but it's really not fine,” stated the 2020 World Champion, who admits he’s not enjoying Grand Prix weekends at the minute.
“At the races, right now, I'm not happy. I don't enjoy it. I want to get out of this rut and enjoy what I like the most, which, more than riding a MotoGP bike, is winning on a MotoGP bike. This is what I like the most in the world. Riding a motorcycle is the second thing I like it the most in the world. When everything goes well and when you have that beautiful confidence that things work out for you and such. When you don't have it, you lack a lot inside of you.”
Mir has crashed 11 times in five rounds in 2023. The going has been undeniably tough as he continues to adapt to Honda’s RC213V and although “small positive things” were found in Le Mans, a debut podium with HRC remains “far away”.
“Right now, I see the podium super far away,” continued Mir. “But in 2020, in the first race, I saw the podium very far away and the World Championship? I don't even tell you. In the end, I know what I have inside of me and when I can show it I know how far I can get there. I think that, right now, it's a process of patience, peace of mind, putting up with this, putting up with it no matter what. I don't know how I'm going to do it, but I have to do it, I have to put up with it to then get out of this and enjoy again.”
Everyone knows Mir has the ability to help propel Honda back to the heights of regular MotoGP™ wins and podiums, just like Marc Marquez is doing. The #36 is a double World Champion. Rough patches come and go in motorcycle racing, and Mir is determined to get out of this “rut” as soon as possible and make the Joan Mir and Repsol Honda story one to remember – for the right reasons.
“It's a super nice project, I love it. It could be such a beautiful story. I love that story so much. That's why I keep trying.”
You can read Marca’s interview in full by clicking the link in the opening paragraph.