This Monday at Motorland Aragon, Joan Mir accomplished a colossal task. As the only official Honda rider on track after Luca Marini's injury at Suzuka, the Majorcan took sole responsibility for development. And while the times didn't shake the top of the timesheets, the technical feedback was generally positive—at least, given the difficult context HRC is facing.
First element of satisfaction: a new swingarm. " It gave me good feelings. It's not a revolution, but an evolution. which could help us to be more competitive ", entrusts Mir with caution. Honda still suffers cruelly from a lack of grip and acceleration when exiting corners. This new component, while not miraculous, at least seems to be going in the right direction.
But the real wall remains the engine. We are not yet able to develop a package that allows us to improve the engine ", recognize Mir straightforward. Despite tests also focused on electronics, the heart of the problem remains. In the morning, I used the medium tire well, completing a few laps in 1'46, but We are losing too much to our rivals. In a straight line, it is unmanageable. : KTM, for example, is incredibly fast compared to us. »
Joan Mir: “ nothing has been developed to improve the engine for two years »
The observation is clear: Honda is off the rails, and no miracle solution is yet on the horizon. The engineers know what's missing, they say so, but in reality, nothing has been developed to improve the engine for two years. We are working on other aspects, yes, but not on this one. »
Nevertheless, Mir maintains a constructive stance. His experience and technical rigor make him an essential link in the reconstruction of Honda, even if the project is titanic. We improved top speed and acceleration, which were our priorities the day before »
Already looking ahead to the next races, the Majorcan keeps his feet on the ground. On paper, Assen could be better, but Mugello also offers us interesting assets. Sometimes we think we know, and then the track reminds us of reality. »
Nothing is simple for Honda. But in this desert of performances, Joan mir remains a beacon of lucidity, carried by an intact desire to put the winged coat of arms back on better trajectories.
MotoGP, Aragon Test: chronos
