Joan Mir suffered scary symptom at Qatar Grand Prix that raises serious questions for Honda

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Joan Mir fell quite ill at the Grand Prix of Qatar and was forced to sit out of the sprint race on Saturday, before heroicly returning for the main race on Sunday.

But was it a wise move? The Honda rider was forced to retire during the Grand Prix after suffering enhanced symptoms of gastroenteritis.

After a poor start to the season, Mir would have been eager to get on his bike and secure a good result for his team no matter what.

Sitting out of the Grand Prix of Qatar would have been disappointing, but it would have guaranteed his safety. Just look at how Jorge Martin suffered after another accident.

Mir fumed at the Grand Prix of Americas and felt he should have been on pole position at the start of the race after a bold tyre gamble. Sadly things didn’t go his way.

Honda are ‘very positive’ about an issue which has previously hurt their performance. They should be contenders for the top 10 at every race in 2025, offering Mir plenty of chances to catch up.

READ MORE: Joan Mir ‘laughed’ when he heard what Luca Marini said about Honda bike at Americas Grand Prix, ‘really?’

Honda should question themselves after Joan Mir ‘didn’t know’ where he was at the Grand Prix of Qatar

With Honda now sitting second in the constructors’ championship after four races, things are looking incredibly rosy after a positive winter of development.

The factory team would have expected more from their riders though – particularly Mir who has retired from three of the opening four races.

Mela Chercoles mentioned just how bad the Spaniard’s symptoms were during the weekend, which poses questions as to why Honda even let him take part in the race and put him in harm’s way.

“Mir was finally able to take part in today’s race. He missed the sprint yesterday due to gastroenteritis. He was not in shape, he was not strong but he was there,” he said.

“Do you know how he finished it, with double vision, with dizziness and he didn’t even know where he was. He doesn’t even know how he got to the pits.”

If something serious had happened to him on track, it could have been very dangerous. The 27-year-old will be hoping for a speedy recovery ahead of the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix – his home race at Jerez.

READ MORE: Sylvain Guintoli spots change in ‘everybody’ at Honda after ‘unreal’ start to 2025 MotoGP season

Could Joan Mir’s MotoGP seat be under threat in the future?

Although Mir is under contract through the end of 2026, his performances of late have been far from convincing.

With Honda linked with Pedro Acosta, another Spanish superstar could be on the horizon for the Japanese manufacturer.

Although it came during a confusing season, Mir is a MotoGP champion. He needs to rediscover that form sooner rather than later.

Otherwise, Honda may be heading into the 2027 regulation changes with two new riders, leaving Mir’s future in doubt.