Mir grabs debut Honda front row with sensational lap of Motegi
Mobility Resort MotegiA long-awaited return to the front row of the grid as Joan Mir equalled his best MotoGP qualifying result, putting his Honda in second before a spirited race to fourth. Honda HRC Castrol teammate Luca Marini locked in another top ten performance and increased his points total.
For the first time since the Italian Grand Prix in 2023, a factory Honda RC213V machine found its home on the front row of the grid. The result and subsequent performance in the Sprint race is the next step in Honda HRC’s continual journey back to the form which has amassed more than 800 wins across all classes. Boosted by recent upgrades, Joan Mir moved the Honda HRC Castrol garage to the edge of their seats as he went fastest with just a few minutes left in the Q2. His 1’43.003 – almost a second and a half faster than his 2024 qualifying time – would earn Mir second on the grid, his debut front row as a Honda HRC rider and his first since the 2022 Portuguese Grand Prix. A result which was met with great delight by Honda HRC staff and management.
Elation after a season of hard work and heavy knocks, Mir and the team quickly regained their steely focus for the Sprint. Starting well, the #36 held onto second for several laps before he became embroiled in an intense battle with champion elect Marc Marquez. Fourth at the chequered flag, Mir followed his qualifying performance with a career best finish in the Sprint race. A significant boost to morale and motivations, the targets for Sunday are clear.
The metronome that is Luca Marini continued to work away as he headed the third row of the grid in seventh, 1.4 seconds faster than his time set here in 2024 and only two tenths off the front row. With chaos erupting at the first corner, the Italian kept his composure and advanced forward as the 12-lap Sprint got underway. Tucking in behind Quartararo, Marini and the Frenchman tried to close the distance to the group ahead with the #10 ultimately ending just four seconds off the top five. Seventh and with three more points in hands, Marini’s march towards tenth overall continues.
Expectations are high for Sunday’s 24 lap as Honda HRC aim to end their home weekend on a high.
I don’t think that there is any doubts that today has been a really positive day. We fought really hard for the podium in the Sprint and of course it would have been really nice to get it, but second in Qualifying and then fighting like we did – this is already a big reward. I’m happy for myself, my team, everyone in Honda – we have been working for these results for many years. Today we showed what we can do when everything lines up and we don’t have anything from the outside. For my confidence it’s super important and I am really focused on repeating everything again on Sunday.
I don’t think that there is any doubts that today has been a really positive day. We fought really hard for the podium in the Sprint and of course it would have been really nice to get it, but second in Qualifying and then fighting like we did – this is already a big reward. I’m happy for myself, my team, everyone in Honda – we have been working for these results for many years. Today we showed what we can do when everything lines up and we don’t have anything from the outside. For my confidence it’s super important and I am really focused on repeating everything again on Sunday.
We are in the middle of a really good weekend, not just for myself but for Honda. Three bikes in Q2 directly is a really important milestone, but still, we can improve. I missed some time in Turn 10 during quali today, Joan showed today what you can do when you put everything together. Like always, the Sprint was a bit complicated managing the tyre temperature when I was behind Fabio but I think it has given us good information for Sunday. I know that we can do better and this is a really good feeling to bring not just into tomorrow, but into the races we have the rest of this year.
We are in the middle of a really good weekend, not just for myself but for Honda. Three bikes in Q2 directly is a really important milestone, but still, we can improve. I missed some time in Turn 10 during quali today, Joan showed today what you can do when you put everything together. Like always, the Sprint was a bit complicated managing the tyre temperature when I was behind Fabio but I think it has given us good information for Sunday. I know that we can do better and this is a really good feeling to bring not just into tomorrow, but into the races we have the rest of this year.
Today is a strong day for Honda and it is nice to see the improvements coming for all Honda riders. Honestly speaking I was hoping for a bit more, it was a good recovery from 20th to 14th but the feeling with the bike was not the same as earlier. The engineers and I have time tonight to check everything and make a plan for tomorrow, today’s Sprint was more difficult than I would have liked. More to come, we don’t stop working.
Today is a strong day for Honda and it is nice to see the improvements coming for all Honda riders. Honestly speaking I was hoping for a bit more, it was a good recovery from 20th to 14th but the feeling with the bike was not the same as earlier. The engineers and I have time tonight to check everything and make a plan for tomorrow, today’s Sprint was more difficult than I would have liked. More to come, we don’t stop working.
