After completing four races in 2024, Honda hasn’t performed well. They only have 13 points in the manufacturer standings, and none of their riders have made it to the top 10 in any race.
During the Americas Grand Prix, Mir criticized Honda for choosing the wrong bike concept. He said Honda had to accept the responsibility for this decision.
However, at the Jerez test after the race, Mir felt more optimistic. He tried a different bike concept during the test and found it promising.
“I think the day was better than it seemed because we tried a new concept,” he said. “And honestly, I think it was working. It’s the direction I want to go in the future.”
“It’s a direction we need to develop, but I think it could be promising in the future – not now, but later,” he added. “It was positive because we now know the direction we need to take, and that’s good.”
When asked if he was testing a new engine, Mir explained, “We’re testing different things on the engine to understand the direction. And I think I understand it now.”
Honda test rider Stefan Bradl rode a different bike during the Spanish GP, but Mir decided to stick with his own bike for the Jerez weekend. He had tried it during a test in Barcelona and found it better.
One of Honda’s main problems this year has been the bike’s poor turning ability. But the new bike concept Mir tried at Jerez seems to have improved this aspect.
“We’re trying to improve the turning,” he said. “That’s been our weak point. With this new concept, it seems like we can turn better.”
“We might lose in other areas, but there’s a lot of room for improvement,” Mir added. “So, this gives us a good direction to work on.”
