Pete Benson is one of his shadow men in the paddock who make the drivers win. This New Zealander carried out his role as chief mechanic in 2006 alongside Nicky Hayden who won the MotoGP title and with Franco Morbidelli whom he accompanied to the crown in Moto2. So much so that when he talks about the one with whom he spent the 2018 season, either Joan mir, we are attentive. Especially since he promises us the revelation of a next size…
Pete Benson accompanied Joan mir as chief mechanic during his only Moto2 season. Only one year, of course, but enough to convince him that the Spaniard is a beautiful synthesis between Maverick Vinales et Alex Rins... Which, in fact, were revealed at Suzuki, a factory which decided to invest in Mir.
Joan mir will be one of the four MotoGP debutants in 2019. Moto3 World Champion in 2017, here he is already in the premier category, in his fourth Grand Prix season. Contrary to Francesco bagnaia, Miguel Oliveira ou fabio quartararo, he has not won a victory in Moto2, but he is the only newcomer to an official team.
The only Moto2 season of Mir however resembled the first year of the Moto2 world champion bagnaia. Both achieved four podiums and were voted best beginners at the end of the year.
“If you look at her performance in the 2018 season, it’s fair to say Joan was average. We had four podiums – two second positions and two third places – and a few fifth and sixth places. In addition to four abandonments. Keeping in mind that this was his breakout season, these performances are very good. But he is still very frustrated by his poor results ", said Pete Benson, Mir team leader at Marc VDS, at crash.net.
“Winners all have this attitude: they don’t understand why they don’t win. Joan is in this situation. It's sometimes negative because you can't always win and there's a lot to learn in a new category." added the New Zealander. “Sometimes the expectations are bigger than you can handle and you start to procrastinate. Then comes a race like Phillip Island, where I didn’t think it would go well, and he almost won.”
Benson believes that the 21-year-old rider will quickly make it to the premier category of the Motorcycle World Championship: “Maybe he's not quite ready for it, a bit like Jack Miller in 2015. But Joan had a year in Moto2 and she was pretty good. He learns a lot of things quickly. Furthermore, the Suzuki is a user-friendly motorcycle. The Japanese factory team has experience with newcomers. After Maverick Viñales and Álex Rins, Mir is the third in the genre. Both came in as beginners and they did well. They are top riders, so I think it will work well for him too.”
We will recall that Casa Particular in Viñales joined the MotoGP World Championship in 2015 after just one Moto2 season. In his second and final year at Suzuki, he scored four podiums, including his first victory at Silverstone. Kidneys has recorded five top 3 results in his second season in MotoGP, but has yet to win.
“2019 can be a difficult year, but he is a smart driver, he works hard and he has a great attitude. He will have to work a lot harder and smarter, but this is the first step to take in the MotoGP category.", finished Benson.
