This Sunday, November 7, 2021, Joan mir answered questions from journalists from the Algarve International Autodrome in Portimão, at the end of the third day of the Grande Prémio Brembo do Algarve.
We went to listen (via teleconferencing software) to the words of the Spanish driver, who finished the race in second position.
As usual, we report here the words of Joan mir without the slightest formatting.
Joan, what a difference compared to the last race which was held in Misano! You said that you took a visibly welcome week of rest before taking part in this Grand Prix, where everything seemed easier for you. We imagine you really happy to have made your return to the podium...
« Honestly, I'm really happy with this podium. Less for the result than for the weekend we completed. I had good feelings from the first moment on track, and I was able to be competitive from FP1. When you feel good on the bike and your rhythm is good, everything becomes easier afterwards. »
« I needed a weekend like this, with more normal weather conditions I would say, being able to cover more laps on my bike, and that's what happened here. So I would like to thank the team who provided me with the package to fight for pole position but also for victory. »
« Today Pecco Bagnaia was simply better than me, and he was able to drive more efficiently. In the end I made more mistakes than him. I waited behind him for him to falter and make a mistake, but he didn't. They did a very good job, he and his team, and now we're heading to Valencia. »
You have very good memories of Valencia with obtaining what remains for the moment your only victory in MotoGP, but also your title. After an up-and-down season, what can explain your current level of performance?
« I'm really very optimistic about Valencia, it's a track where normally I'm strong. The package we currently have available is better than the one we had mid-season. I think I will be able to fight for an even better result there. »
You declared over the weekend that the Suzuki had especially progressed at the time of the introduction of the second generation of the ride-height device. Did this device play a big role in your today's result, or was it rather your good qualification on the grid which allowed you to finally benefit from a clear track and thus be able to drive on your own?
« I of course used the ride-height device, like everyone else I think. It's definitely something that gives us something extra when accelerating, there's no doubt about it. This is one of the elements that allowed us to achieve this performance. With this device, you really gain a lot in acceleration because you suffer from much less wheelie, at least on certain tracks. This device can of course still be improved, because it is only the second prototype, and I think that next year we will have an even better one. »
How does the base of the Suzuki look for 2022? Is it promising?
« I would say that there was an awareness at Suzuki in the middle of the season, and from then on they worked hard in Japan. I expect winter testing to be more difficult to find further performance gains for next year. I don't know how it will all play out, but normally what Suzuki brings to the private tests always works, so I'm of course looking forward to these tests in Jerez. »
“There was an awareness at Suzuki in the middle of the season”
During the Moto3 race we witnessed a very dangerous maneuver by a rider, who will make his debut next season in MotoGP [Darryn Binder in fact clipped the rear of Dennis Foggia's bike, the latter who was defending his title chances against Pedro Acosta in the quarter liter category]. Do you think this type of accident could call into question safety next year in the category?
« This is not the first time that this pilot has committed such acts. I think the most important thing is that such maneuvers are now penalized. In my opinion, this deserves an exclusion race, or even more, because if you do not proceed like this, this type of event, or even even more serious events, could happen again in the future. »
« This type of measures is a necessity for Moto3, because they are very young riders. I also hear about the implementation of a Super License. I think it's something difficult to implement, although in itself of course it's not a bad idea. »
« Afterwards, I agree with what Jack Miller says, everyone can make mistakes, and besides I think that all the fault does not lie solely with Darryn, because I think that he must undergo at the moment a incredible pressure, because now that he is expected in MotoGP, he absolutely must show what he is capable of. This pressure doesn't help him in making good decisions, that's for sure, because in these conditions we would all make mistakes. I think this is a situation that really cannot be easy to manage. »
Don't you think he should be penalized with two rounds of suspension as was the case in Austin for Deniz Öncü? This is indeed not the first time that Darryn Binder has been guilty of such actions…
« I think that under normal circumstances, Darryn's accident does not deserve to be penalized with two suspension races. Again, this is a mistake any pilot can make. The fact is that a contender for the title is the victim of this maneuver gives greater magnitude to this accident, that's all. »
« But if we are talking about pure safety, the sanction imposed on Darryn must dissuade all other pilots from committing similar actions, so that it does not happen again. This is why we need an exemplary penalty, because if we really want to be stricter in terms of security, I think this is the first step. »
