Marco Bezzecchi
Joan Mir has let himself down with some silly errors during the early part of the 2025 MotoGP season with Honda.
The 2020 champion has fallen off his bike twice while competing inside the top 10 of races. It would have handed Honda a dream start compared to where they were last year.
These regular errors have been a theme of Mir’s career so far. Thankfully, he has 19 more MotoGP races to make up for his mistakes this season.
On pure pace, he may have been their fastest rider so far. The Japanese manufacturer has proven that they no longer possess the slowest machinery.
Mir fumed at the Grand Prix of Americas start controversy, he felt as if he should have benefitted from a chaotic start in mixed conditions.
He went on to run a solid race, before crashing for a second time in two days. It took away the possibility of another good result but ‘everybody’ at Honda is still smiling after their start to 2025.
Joan Mir ‘laughed’ at Luca Marini over Honda claim at the Grand Prix of the Americas
It didn’t take long for Honda’s riders to see the potential of their bikes in 2025. Luca Marini predicted Honda could do the ‘impossible’ after the Grand Prix of Thailand.
Three races on from those comments and their form has been sustained. If Johann Zarco hadn’t fallen with laps to go in Austin, he would be pushing the top five in the riders’ championship.
After the Grand Prix of the Americas, Marini made another claim about his team, suggesting that they have the best electronics in the premier class.
GPOne reports that his teammate Mir ‘laughed’ at those comments, with the Spaniard adding: “Really? I think our electronics are working well, especially in terms of engine braking.
“We’re working. I think there’s still a margin on traction control. I think it’s very good, but I don’t know if it’s the best.”
READ MORE: Honda chief refutes ‘absurd’ idea regarding team’s MotoGP progress in 2025
Honda have an obvious MotoGP weakness in 2025, it needs to be fixed for 2026
Of the 23 riders that are currently listed on the riders’ championship standings, just one is yet to score a point this season.
That would be LCR Honda’s rookie, Somkiat Chantra, who has been wandering at the back of the pack throughout the majority of races.
He has nowhere to hide now that their bike has improved. His three Honda colleagues are competing for the top 10 every weekend.
His teammate (Zarco) has even been the most impressive of them all, which suggests that his bike isn’t the issue. He needs to build confidence and speed soon.
Otherwise, the LCR team will need to consider switching riders for 2026 if they want to maximise the returns on Honda’s investment in developing their bikes.
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