Joan Mir returned to the MotoGP podium at the Japanese Grand Prix in Motegi, ending a 1,422-day drought and marking a significant moment for Honda’s factory team. This milestone coincided with Marc Marquez securing the 2025 world title at the same event, underscoring a pivotal shift in MotoGP’s competitive landscape. Mir’s podium return and Marquez’s championship victory together highlight the evolving dynamics within the sport, centering on the theme of resilience and renewal in a fiercely contested season.
Jorge Martin’s Challenging Title Defense and Its Failures
Jorge Martin’s defense of his world title has been mired in difficulties, culminating in what many regard as one of the most troubled campaigns in recent MotoGP history. After his impressive 2024 championship, Martin transitioned to the factory Aprilia team with high expectations for disrupting Ducati’s dominant hold on the series. However, his season unraveled with two major injuries before the season even started, which sidelined him for the first three rounds.
When Martin attempted a comeback in Qatar, he was immediately struck by a third injury setback that kept him out until the Czech Grand Prix in July. Further complicating matters was a tense contract dispute, in which Martin sought to leave Aprilia for Honda in 2026 but ultimately failed to finalize the move. His struggles culminated in a serious collision with teammate Marco Bezzecchi during the Japanese Grand Prix sprint, which resulted in a displaced fracture to his right shoulder.
Consequently, Martin had to observe the end of his reign from a hospital bed in Barcelona, undergoing surgery as Marc Marquez clinched the world championship at Motegi. This sequence of events starkly illustrates how physical setbacks and off-track issues can derail even the most promising title defenses.
Joan Mir’s Career Fluctuations and Recent Struggles
Joan Mir, the 2020 MotoGP world champion, empathizes with Martin’s predicament, recognizing the harsh realities of maintaining top form amid the sport’s pressures. Mir’s own career reflects a rapid ascent followed by a challenging decline. His debut in the grand prix scene came as a replacement rider at Leopard Racing in the 2015 Australian Grand Prix, and he quickly demonstrated promise by winning a race in his rookie 2016 season.
Mir dominated Moto3 in 2017, securing ten victories and claiming the world title before progressing to Moto2 for a single season in 2018. Suzuki’s then team principal Davide Brivio brought Mir into MotoGP in 2019, and he famously captured the world championship in 2020—a year marked not only by intense competition but also the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mir’s championship bid gained momentum after Marc Marquez suffered a severe arm injury at the 2020 Spanish Grand Prix, a turning point that disrupted one of the sport’s dominant figures. Despite a modest start to the season, Mir’s consistency propelled him to narrowly claim the title without winning multiple races initially. His first win came at the European Grand Prix in Valencia, followed by another victory at the subsequent event, sealing Suzuki’s first title in two decades.
However, Mir’s fortunes shifted in 2021 as Suzuki’s competitiveness lagged behind rival teams. He managed just six podiums and failed to secure another win, finishing third overall. The following year was even more challenging, despite a promising start with several top-six finishes in the first five rounds. The abrupt announcement of Suzuki’s withdrawal from MotoGP forced Mir to scramble for a new team amid a market downturn in his value.
Mir secured a deal with Honda in 2023 but contended with an uncompetitive RC213V bike, which had also contributed to Marc Marquez’s difficulties in his final year with Honda. Mir’s season was marred by a broken leg in Italy, multiple race retirements, and a year spent contemplating his future in the sport. His best result was a fifth place at the Indian Grand Prix.
The 2024 season proved no better for Mir, with no finishes inside the top ten and a mere 21 points. Honda experienced its worst performance in recent memory. By 2025, Mir endured ten non-finishes and 18 crashes but demonstrated speed whenever conditions allowed, frequently falling victim to incidents caused by competitors.
Mir’s Resurgence at Motegi and What It Means for Honda
At the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix in Motegi, Joan Mir delivered a strong performance, narrowly missing pole position in qualifying and later securing a podium finish. This was Mir’s first podium as a Honda rider and his first since the 2022 Algarve Grand Prix. The result marked a crucial turnaround amid a difficult phase for both rider and team, signaling renewed competitiveness for Honda’s factory effort.
In sport in general, you are what you make in your last race, but not particularly with me,
Mir said.
I think everyone has the same problem. At the end, it’s very easy to hide behind the phone and to speak about shit that doesn’t give any benefit to anyone. But, at the end, I know what I achieved. I think the people that knows a little bit about this world and about sports in general value everything as how it is.
— Joan Mir, MotoGP rider
Mir is currently facing intensified competition within Honda’s ranks, where Johann Zarco has maintained solid form for over a year and Luca Marini is emerging as a significant contender. This internal pressure is set to increase as Honda prepares for an active rider market ahead of the 2027 season, underlining their ambitions to regain dominance.
Mir’s podium at Motegi also ended a long dry spell for Honda’s factory team, which hadn’t stood on the podium since Marc Marquez’s third-place finish at the same circuit two years earlier. That result, despite its rarity, was bittersweet, occurring during a difficult season for Honda and coming from a rider—Marquez—who was soon to leave the brand after a decade-long tenure to join Gresini Ducati.
How Marquez’s Departure Helped Honda Evolve
Marc Marquez’s decision to exit Honda in 2023 has been reinterpreted as a catalyst for the brand’s transformation. At the time of his departure, Marquez described the move pragmatically, acknowledging the benefits for both himself and Honda.
I think that in this decision right now for next year, it’s also a win-win decision,
Marquez said in Valencia in 2023.
Why? Because I will move to a bike that is leading the championship and I will try to achieve my target, which is to try to feel competitive again.
Feeling competitive doesn’t mean winning, it just means to feel competitive and ride more comfortably and try to fight for the top positions in some races. The reality is that all the budget they pay to me will go to the bike. That is also important.
My comfort zone was here, to stay here and ride the bike and take the salary and no pressure. But I believe now [what] is the best for the project is that they will invest all of [what they paid me] into the bike. Honda is Honda. Honda will come back to the top with or without me. So, I believe they can do it.
— Marc Marquez, 2023 world champion and former Honda rider
Marquez had been among the highest-paid riders in the sport, earning approximately €15-20 million annually. Following his exit, Honda redirected those resources into bike development, adopting a more European approach to engineering and management. They recruited Romano Albesiano from Aprilia to serve as technical director this season and lured Kurt Trieb, formerly KTM’s engine chief, thus strengthening their technical expertise.
Additionally, Honda’s test team was enhanced by the arrival of Aleix Espargaro, who retired from racing to contribute alongside Takaaki Nakagami. These changes helped Honda progress markedly through the 2025 season. Compared to a best race result of eighth place the previous year, the team achieved a wet-weather race win, a dry-race second at Silverstone, and a third place on merit at Motegi. This steady improvement suggests Honda is on a clear upward path despite upcoming regulatory shifts expected in 2027.
Marquez’s Seventh Title and Honda’s Renewal
Marc Marquez’s seventh world title, secured in 2025 at Motegi, represents not only a personal triumph but also a symbol of Honda’s resurgence. The timing of Honda’s renewed podium performances aligns closely with Marquez’s departure, highlighting the brand’s effective recalibration. His exit enabled a financial and strategic reallocation that has since fostered growth and competitiveness.
The story of Mir’s podium return alongside Marquez’s championship victory encapsulates the fluctuating fortunes within MotoGP. It signals how challenges, whether injuries, team changes, or equipment issues, can test even the sport’s most gifted riders. Yet, with determination and focused development, recovery and success remain attainable goals.
Looking ahead, Honda’s strengthened organizational structure and rider lineup hint at a revitalized presence in MotoGP, with prospects of contesting for more consistent podiums and championships. For riders like Mir, who have endured setbacks, this evolving environment may offer renewed opportunities to reclaim past glories.
