MotoGP Qatar: Joan Mir repeats it, he is not a favorite. However…

Joan Mir is preparing like his other colleagues to launch into the 2021 MotoGP season, starting this Friday, for the opening Grand Prix in Qatar. But the Suzuki official nevertheless stands out from all his colleagues and adversaries. He is in fact the reigning World Champion and therefore the preferred target. A pressure that he says he likes and that would improve him. We will judge on the evidence, but in the meantime, he is not trying to step into the shoes of a favorite…

This is the first time in his career that Joan Mir will enter a Grand Prix season as reigning World Champion. When he was crowned in Moto3, in fact, he had sped towards the Moto2. This time, in the firmament of his sport, he must defend his crown, in the face of fierce adversity. He thus approaches a campaign where he will have to confirm, which is not the simplest mission: “ I see myself as one of the favorites, but not the only favorite. After all, we didn't win the world championship title last year with ten race victories ", has explained Mir.

« We won the world championship title thanks to other factors » » reminds the pilot Suzuki which thus alludes to its regularity during the 2020 season. He adds: “ we weren't the fastest ". A modesty which leads him to this presentation: “ I agree with others if they don't see me as the favorite ", said Mir, who will continue to race in the new season with his usual number 36.

However, behind this humility hides a solid ambition… “ It was a great pleasure for me last year to surprise them at the end of the season. If they make the mistake again this year and didn't really put me on the list, it would be an even bigger pleasure for me this year to make it happen ».

Joan Mir: “I had success very quickly, almost too quickly”

During the pre-season test in Qatar, Mir was constantly in the leading group, just like his teammate alex rins, but he never appeared at the top of the timesheet. This is exactly how he achieved the greatest success of his career so far, during the 2020 season. A childhood dream come true which plunges him a little into perplexity: “ As a child, I always dreamed of becoming a MotoGP world champion. What comes next, I never thought about it », admits on Motorsport-total the Spanish of 23 years, born in Majorca.

In the meantime, Mir looks forward to winning more world championship titles: “ I had success very quickly, almost too quickly. If I were to retire now, I would already feel that I cannot be one hundred percent satisfied. After all, I am only 23 years old and I still have many years ahead of me to succeed and try to repeat what I have accomplished ». Joan Mir does not intend to fall into line…