This 2020 season has seen a lot of twists and turns. But what is the “point of no return”? In other words, when did Joan Mir win the MotoGP World Championship? Together, let's try to answer this question. Everything suggests that it is the San Marino Grand Prix, in the first part of the season.
A little context is needed. Leaving Jerez, the path seemed ready for Fabio Quartararo. In fact, he had just ridden the two races with quite disconcerting ease. However, things got seriously complicated during the following rounds.
Alex Rins, coming back from injury, could not play at the best level. Maverick Vinales, as Andrea Dovizioso, remained in ambush.
It was difficult to imagine that Joan Mir would play the world championship, just like Franco Morbidelli. The latter came later in the title race. This is precisely what today is about.
Mir knew. In reality, he was in the game since the start of the season but was not under any pressure. Of course, he had to retire during the first round in Jerez and was hit in Brno. But otherwise, his results were very decent, marked by a second place in Austria.
Márquez named Quartararo and Dovizioso as title contenders. The Spanish champion was far from suspecting Mir's potential. Photo: Michelin Motorsport
While all the media, including some pilots, saw Fabio et Andrea competing for the win, Joan went off the radar. The race of Misano is only the continuity of this phenomenon: in reality, there was no point of hatching. At some point, everyone suddenly realized the Spaniard's potential, just by seeing him up front.
No doubt, this constant outsider aspect helped Joan. On the other hand, for the competition, everything changed at Misano. When putting down the suitcases, Quarterly is inside but still leads the championship, three points ahead “ Desmodovi ". Follows a Jack Miller surprise, fourteen points behind.
Once again in free practice, it is Mir's “submarine” position that impresses. The Mallorcan is not an exercise specialist, to say the least. He did not record a single one, unheard of for a champion since Wayne Rainey in 1992. In F1, you have to go back to Niki Lauda in 1984 to see this.
This is therefore extremely rare in motor sports.
He is positioned eighth in the peloton. A difficult position, but one that the circuit can compensate for. Indeed, the first sector is conducive to overtaking and can allow you to move up. The main risk is being hit.
Andrea Dovizioso doesn't seem to succeed, and struggles terribly. During this time, fabio quartararo
records his first fall of the season, an absolutely decisive moment for the championship! Mir just goes back up.
Photo: Michelin Motorsport
Driven by an indescribable force, he gained places and overtook Valentino Rossi late in the race, to score another podium. In one race, everything changes. Mir moves to 4th in the championship, just 16 points behind leader Dovizioso. Miller, eighth, slowly sees the title slipping away from him. This precise moment will launch Mir towards conquest of the title. After this round, he will be on the podium again; the only real misstep of his season was in reality his poor performance at Le Mans (11th).
This San Marino Grand Prix shows how important a small detail can be when you widen the field of vision. No one suspected Mir was going to do it except him. Thus, its title appears as an example of determination and self-confidence.
He never had this “pressure of the crown”, before or after Misano.
Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport
