Joan Mir expressed no grievances about the assertive block pass from former teammate Marc Marquez that deprived the Honda rider of third place during the Japanese MotoGP Sprint. As the riders prepare for the full Grand Prix, Mir is targeting a daring block pass of his own, showing confidence in his ability to challenge Marquez once again.
Mir’s Response to Marquez’s Defensive Move
After the sprint, Mir described Marquez’s move as fair and within the limits, emphasizing the difficulty of overtaking on the circuit. He explained that sometimes aggressive maneuvers are necessary to pass, especially since his bike’s newly improved engine power makes slipstreaming less effective on the short straights.
“No, no, no! Completely inside the limit, here it’s difficult to overtake,”
Mir said to MotoGP.com.
He acknowledged that both riders lost time due to the intense battle but saw this as part of racing that provided an entertaining spectacle for fans. Mir then pointed ahead to the next race, expressing hope for a counter-move:
“So tomorrow hopefully I can make a block pass on him, let’s see!”
Saturday’s Qualifying and Sprint Overview
The 2020 MotoGP world champion had a strong qualifying session, claiming second place behind the factory Ducati riders. However, the Sprint race start saw Mir lose ground to Francesco Bagnaia and KTM’s young sensation Pedro Acosta. Despite this, Mir maintained a steady defense against Marquez for multiple laps.
Marquez appeared somewhat unsettled, running wide several times, while Mir successfully repelled two overtaking attempts at the apex by moving inside. Yet as the race progressed and Mir’s rear tire wore down, Marquez found an opportunity to pass on the inside at a hairpin corner, forcing both riders off the racing line with five laps remaining.
Although Mir’s chances of a podium finish were threatened, Acosta’s tire issues kept the German rider just out of reach, finishing only 0.7 seconds ahead. Even with this close margin, Mir remained unsatisfied beneath the surface.
“Honestly, when you have the podium that close, I have something inside of me that I’m not 100% satisfied!”
he admitted to MotoGP.com.
Mir Reflects on Recent Struggles and Present Performance
Mir highlighted the significance of this weekend’s efforts after facing difficulties and misfortune in previous seasons and races. He expressed gratitude for finally assembling a strong performance on the Suzuki machine.
“But I’m happy because after situation that we were living in for the previous years, and also the past Grands Prix when I had a lot of bd luck, finally being able to put something nice together feels unbelievable,”
he said.
He praised the hard-fought race, sharing his enjoyment despite the physical demands.
“We fought very, very hard. I enjoyed it so much and anything that we can do tomorrow will be just a gift,”
Mir added.
Prospects for Podium Success in the Full Grand Prix
Looking ahead, Mir calls his chances for a podium finish plausible but acknowledges the challenges, especially after losing time due to Marquez’s overtaking move. The loss hindered his ability to keep pace with Pedro Acosta toward the end of the sprint race.
“Podium contender, yes. But, difficult,” he commented.
“We lost a bit of time to Pedro with that overtake from Marc. I think that was the problem of not being able to fight for the podium with Pedro at the end.”
Despite pushing himself to the limit throughout the sprint, Mir ran his rear tire down almost completely by the finish, but this effort gave him a strong feeling of satisfaction.
“At the end I had nothing left, the tyre was cooked, but it feels great.”
Team Updates and Tire Strategy for Tomorrow’s Race
Mir’s teammate at HRC, Luca Marini, completed the sprint race in seventh place, continuing to gather valuable experience on the Honda. Riders are expected to switch from the soft to medium compound rear tires for the longer race, a move likely to influence race strategy and tire management.
The intensity of the upcoming full Grand Prix will test the riders’ ability to adapt while battling for crucial positions. Mir’s ambition to secure a bold block pass and contend for a podium highlight his determination as the championship progresses.
