Joan Mir expressed cautious satisfaction with his sprint simulation during the final day of the Sepang MotoGP pre-season test, while acknowledging that the Honda machine remains well behind the leading Ducati pace. Mir, competing with Honda, completed his test from February 6 to 8 in Malaysia where he aimed to evaluate the bike’s readiness for the upcoming season by focusing on consistent race pace rather than outright time attack laps.
On the second day, Mir impressed by topping the timesheets with a 1m 56s lap, securing fifth place overall by the test’s end. However, during the decisive sprint simulations on the last day, the advantage held by Ducati riders became more evident, raising concerns about Honda’s current competitiveness.
Gap to Ducati Sprint Speed Clearly Visible
Mir candidly stated,
“It was good, but if you check the pace of the Ducati guys, especially Alex, we are far.”
He highlighted that although Honda had made some progress compared to the previous year, Ducati had taken a notable step forward during the pre-season.
Specifically, Mir was able to maintain lap times in the 1m 58s range for the majority of his sprint run, except for the closing laps where tire degradation affected performance. Despite achieving decent consistency, the gap remained large — removing his slowest lap to match the Ducati sprint distance left Mir over 9 seconds behind Alex Marquez’s benchmark time, mirroring a sixth-place finish in similar past races.
Mir added,
“It’s not a bad pace, but I think Ducati made a step this pre-season and they are very strong again.”
Challenges in Sustaining Hammer-Paced Laps on Honda
During the simulations, Alex Marquez of Gresini Honda showcased competitive speed on factory-spec machinery, hitting a swift 1m 57.295s early in his run.
Mir described this as nearly a “time attack” lap but clarified why such pace cannot be maintained consistently on Honda’s bike:
“If I made that lap time, the next lap I would make 2m 01, because I’d cook the tyre completely! It’s a bit what happens normally in the time attack.”
This emphasizes the balancing act Honda riders face between pure speed and tire management, an area where Ducati currently holds an edge by extracting superior grip and durability.
Measured Progress with Honda’s Latest RC213V Model
Mir reviewed the development of Honda’s 2026 model, noting that while the improvements have been incremental, they cover multiple facets of the bike’s performance. He characterized the advancements as “small evolutions in many areas” rather than dramatic gains in a single domain.
He stated,
“We didn’t make any revolutions, but small evolutions in many areas have allowed us to improve a little bit and ride in better lap times. But it’s not that we made a huge step in one area.”
Grip Remains Honda’s Primary Weakness
When asked about the bike’s key limitations, the 2020 MotoGP world champion pinpointed grip as the crucial hurdle yet to overcome. He explained that enhancing grip would help control wheel spin, reduce tire wear, and consequently improve overall race pace.
Mir also mentioned that technical issues with a few components during the final day affected their ability to push for top times, requiring real-time adjustments to the testing schedule.
Despite these challenges, he remains realistic about Honda’s potential in race conditions:
“But in terms of race pace… I think if there is a race tomorrow, I think we can fight for the top five, top four – but not a lot more.”
Team Performance and Upcoming Testing Schedule
Aside from Mir, his teammate Luca Marini was the leading Honda rider behind him, concluding the Sepang test in 13th place overall. With the pre-season test sequence nearing its conclusion, the remaining event is scheduled to take place in Buriram on February 21-22.
Following this final evaluation, Honda must finalize its engine specification for the 2026 campaign, having moved from a D to a C ranking in the concession system. This decision will be critical to shaping their competitiveness in an intensely challenging season dominated by Ducati’s pace.
