It's time to take stock! As every year for the past three years, Let's talk MotoGP is embarking on a rather important undertaking: taking stock of each driver at the end of the 2024 season, today it's Joan Mir's turn. For a good part of the winter, we'll be going back up the rankings, until we're talking in detail about the world champion's campaign. Are you ready? Let's go!
Yesterday we returned to the case of Luca marini ; click here to find this episode.
Never seen
Casually, I have written about him quite often this season., so I'll try not to go on about him too much. World Champion MotoGP In 2020 (it seems hard to believe), Joan Mir is sailing in the depths of the rankings, no longer even managing to finish races. His situation is very serious, from an accounting point of view, but also for his career.
Joan Mir is no longer there, in attitude as in piloting. Photo: HRC
Already, in terms of ranking, he is second to last of the holders. He is only ahead of his teammate Luca Marini, who was only discovering the RC213V in 2024. Many maintain that Marini is a worse driver than Mir, but I do not agree with this statement at all as I suggested yesterday. Mir, twice crowned in his life, leads him by only seven points. He finished far behind new recruit Johann Zarco – that was to be expected – but, even worse, behind a Takaaki Nakagami at the end of his career.
It's not that Mir is out of the running, it's that he's just falling. His character has already been negatively commented on by Honda's bigwigs and his falls aren't helping his cause. You are not ready for the numbers that follow.
In 2024, he fell 17 times in total, which is a lot, but not that much. He is only ninth in the ranking of falls, after all. The incredible thing is that a large proportion of these mistakes happened at the worst possible time, that is, in the race. Joan Mir has twelve blank results this year, including ten abandonments. It's amazing. At the end of the season, he outdid himself: he only finished one Sunday race in the last seven rounds (in Thailand, a 15th place). It's too much, and not very effective..
An unjustified philosophy
Mir in front of Marini, but that was before. Photo: HRC
He and Luca Marini embody two different styles. Unlike the Italian, Mir pushes, all the time, tries to grab the slightest position when the lights go out. Except that obviously, the material is not yet ready to withstand such attacks. Yes, he brings back a few more points than Marini – the difference, in reality, is not so great –, but falls far too much for this to weigh in any way in the balance.
This is not what Honda needs. Marini, in his responsible approach, is much more useful to the winged firm, I am convinced. Because Mir, if he drives fast and often finds the limit, is not Marc Marquez! Do not believe that like the eight-time world champion, he plays to win when he stays on his wheels. And that is the whole problem. His best result was none other than a ninth place in Sprint., a result equalled then beaten by Johann Zarco at LCR later in the season.
Finally, at the end, he was frequently outclassed by Luca Marini who, himself, had spent half a season learning the machine instead of forcing it constantly and without aim.
Dark future
I feel like I'm repeating myself, but I am extremely worried about Joan Mir. What he has been doing for the last two years is absolutely unworthy of a MotoGP world champion, he is unrecognizable. Since 21st place in the general classification, his two world crowns are insignificant. Furthermore, as said before, it seems that his approach is not particularly appreciated by Honda.
I sincerely believe that this once very consistent driver – if not very fast – is heading for ruin if he doesn't change radically. As usual, I hope I'm wrong and I wish Joan Mir the best. But race after race, he doesn't reassure, even worries. To tell you, I only found one positive point in his season: absence of injury.
In this day and age, Mir is taking a huge risk by pushing so hard. He has so far slipped through the cracks somewhat – his early 2023 warnings have not been repeated – but the example of his former teammate Marc Marquez should alert him. A fall can change a career, even a life. Touch wood.
Next year will be decisive, especially if Honda can pull itself together a bit. Photo: HRC
Conclusion
For me, and only for me, This is the worst individual campaign by a driver in 2024. Even Marini, behind in points, had a much better season – I insist on the gap – when you take into account the context. I would go even further: it is the worst individual campaign of a driver in the 21st century. Yes, some have scored zero points, and others have fallen even more. But think of these names, and now, add Mir's to them, MotoGP world champion less than five years ago. You will then understand my judgment.
I'm curious what you thought of Joan Mir in 2024, then, tell me in comments!
Tomorrow we will return to the case ofAugusto Fernandez.
As a reminder, this article only reflects the thoughts of its author, and not of the entire editorial team.
Cover photo: HRC
