Austin the next challenge for Mir and Marini
Circuit Of The AmericasAfter an extended break due to calendar changes, the Repsol Honda Team are back into action as they head to the United States of America to tackle round three and the iconic Circuit of the Americas.
Since joining the MotoGP World Championship calendar in 2013, the Grand Prix of the Americas has been an event highlighted by the extreme diversity offered in the layout of the circuit. A series of rapid changes of direction in the opening sector along with high-speed straights and some of the hardest braking zones on the calendar, Austin provides a test for both riders and machine. As a manufacturer, Honda has won the premier class race on eight occasions in Texas including an undefeated run from 2013 to 2018.
Joan Mir arrives in the US with ever-growing confidence thanks to two productive race weekends in Qatar and Portugal. Both weekends have seen the #36 make consistent progress forward, especially in Sunday’s Grand Prix. The primary objective for the upcoming race will be continuing this trend and an improvement to his qualifying performance will be key to avoiding early race incidents again. Mir has a best finish of fourth in Austin.
Texas was Luca Marini’s breakout performance in the premier class in 2023, the young Italian scoring his debut MotoGP podium with second place. After a pair of complicated races to start the 2024 season, the unique demands of Austin will be another opportunity for Luca Marini and the Repsol Honda Team RC213V to assess themselves.
Location: Circuit Of The Americas
The Circuit Of The Americas is the first purpose-built Grand Prix facility in the U.S. near Austin, Texas, with a 5.513km track and a capacity for 120,000 fans. Construction of the impressive 1000-acre facility was completed late in 2012, with MotoGP lining up at the track for the first time in 2013.
One of its more distinctive features is near 41m-elevation change with an impressive incline at the end of the home-straight followed by a sharp left. The circuit is one of the most varied on the GP circuit, with a mix of fast straights and tight hairpins, with most sections mirroring at least some part of a famous track around the world.
It was designed by well-known German architect and circuit designer Hermann Tilke. The driving direction is counter clockwise and has a total of 20 corners with 9 right turns and 11 left turns.
Going to America is always nice, we only get to see the fans there once a year so it's important to put on a good show. We go to a third very different track in three races so we need to look and understand how the Honda is going there. COTA is one of the most unique layouts on the calendar and especially the first sector on track is very specific. Quite a lot of the track has been resurfaced since we were last here so I am looking forward to seeing how those changes impact the track.
Austin holds a special place in my heart and I have good memories from last year. We arrive in a different situation this year but I am still positive that we can make more progress in America. It’s a very particular circuit in Texas and you’ve seen that Honda has had something there in the past. No matter the track, our focus and intention stays the same as we keep building this project.