Joan Mir holds his first interview as a Honda rider. It is inevitable to talk about his new box mate Marc Marquez.
Honda wasted no time in introducing Joan Mir with its new colors. He waited until the end of 2022, when the Majorcan rider’s contract with Suzuki expired, to post the first images and grant him his first interview. The 2020 world champion will try to win a big bet, in a very particular historical moment for the Japanese manufacturer, last in the constructors’ standings after a poor World Championship in terms of results (only two podiums).
The ex Suzuki was able to try the RC213V during a test day last November, he began studying the first ergonomic details, having a dialogue with Marc Marquez, Alberto Puig and the staff of the new team. When you wear the Honda shoes, there can be no goal other than victory. “I try to adapt to this new challenge with optimism and the desire to start well in a new team“, Joan Mir began in the interview directed by Honda.
Joan Mir and the confrontation with Marc Marquez
The new bike will require more physical effort than the GSX-RR who drove for four years, a different driving style, an adaptation process impossible to predict in terms of length. But he couldn’t hold back when he was presented with the opportunity to be a Honda rider. “I think every rider has dreamed of these colors. Being part of this team makes me very proud… I’m young and I can try to repeat what I’ve done in the past“.
The first rival to beat is the box mate and in this case we are talking about the multiple champion Marc Marquez, returning from a complicated three-year period studded with injuries and operations. Between the two there have been small disagreements in the past, now it’s time to collaborate for the common good of the builder. “Sharing the garage with Marc is a real challenge, because he’s the best rider on the grid and the one with the most titles“. He will be able to study his data and speed up adaptation to the bike, but the comparison will not be easy.
So far no one has managed to do better than him, from Dani Pedrosa to Jorge Lorenzo up to Pol Espargarò. “Pushing together in the same direction is very important, rather than going in their own direction“, stressed Joan Mir. “We want to take the right path together“. The next test will be held in Sepang in February, it will be three important days to better study the RC213V and test the work done by the Japanese engineers during the winter break.
