Joan Mir has highlighted the challenging nature of the track surface and tyre combination at the Indonesian MotoGP, describing it as a “critical” situation. During practice sessions at Mandalika, Mir experienced difficulties on the circuit that led to several riders falling, including MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez, who crashed twice and finished 11th in practice.
Joan Mir Describes Difficult Track and Tyre Conditions
The Spanish rider ranked sixth-fastest in practice, despite the complexity of the track. Mir emphasized that the asphalt and tyre interaction made it easy for competitors to make mistakes, increasing the risk of crashes. He explained that the track did not suit his riding style, but he managed to maintain consistency throughout the session.
It was easy to make a mistake and crash because this asphalt and tyre combination is critical, so it’s not easy to get a good feeling on the bike,
Joan Mir said after Practice in Indonesia.
He acknowledged the challenge but expressed satisfaction with his performance, stating that staying steady and avoiding errors was essential on such a demanding surface. The rider also noted that while Mandalika is not one of his preferred tracks, being competitive here is an encouraging sign for his performance on other circuits.
For me, it means a lot to be strong in this track; it means that we can be strong in tracks that I perform in a better way. So, this day gives me a bit of calmness for the rest of the season.
Unusual Practice Results Reflect Track Difficulties
The challenging conditions contributed to an unexpected distribution of top times, with Hondas and Yamahas dominating the top 10 positions while Ducati had fewer representatives near the front. KTM’s Pedro Acosta impressed by securing third overall in practice, while teammate Brad Binder placed 13th, considerably slower than Acosta’s pace.
Mir agreed with Fabio Quartararo’s assessment that the key difference among riders this weekend was the feeling they had on the bike. The poor grip and unpredictable track surface created such a difficult environment that a strong rider feeling could translate into a significant advantage.
That’s why probably you see the timesheets and you don’t understand what’s happening because there are people that struggle in the past races then here are strong, and the opposite thing, but on the bike you understand more because the feeling is so bad,
he said.
Mir prioritized riding alone and setting consistent lap times rather than chasing standout fast laps, focusing instead on safety and control rather than pushing beyond what the conditions allowed.
Not a fantastic lap time, I would say, but safe. Today was important.
Rider Adaptation to Challenging Conditions
When questioned about whether his prior difficulties with the Honda bike in 2023 helped him adapt to Indonesia’s tough surface, Mir suggested that habitual riding without a good feel might have put him at an advantage when everyone faced similarly poor conditions.
Maybe that helped, probably yes, Mir laughed.
When you are used to going with a bad feeling, once everyone has this bad feeling you are in advantage! Sounds wild but is a bit the reality.
He also pointed out improvements in the Honda bike’s base setup this season as a contributing factor to his strong showing, highlighting good pace and consistent lap times rather than focusing only on lap records.
So, the pace is good, the lap time is good. It’s not that we made a huge lap time and then our pace is bad. I don’t think that way.
I think probably we have a better pace than the lap time itself, and this is probably the way to keep improving.
Implications for the Rest of the MotoGP Season
Joan Mir’s ability to maintain composure on a critical track like Mandalika could have positive implications as the MotoGP season progresses. His steady performance amid difficult conditions suggests potential resilience in future races, even on circuits that may not favor his style. Meanwhile, the varying results across manufacturers reflect how riders are adapting differently to the Indonesian circuit.
Continued development on bike setup and rider adaptation will be central to maintaining pace and safety across the demanding Mandalika layout, which remains a test for all participants as the season unfolds.
