Joan Mirstates that he is “proud” of having surpassedFermin AldeguerDucati’s bike with Honda’s enhanced straight-line speed in the MotoGP Malaysian Grand Prix.
Factory HRC rider Mir secured his second podium in four races at Sepang, coming in third behind the winnerAlex Marquez and Pedro Acosta, after Francesco Bagnaiawent to bed late with a flat tire.
Starting in seventh position on the starting grid, Mir moved his RC213V alongside Aldeguer at the last corner on lap 2, with both riders staying near the edge of the track as they exited.
This initiated a drag race along the start/finish straight, with Mir gaining an advantage before making a move into Turn 1 to finish the overtaking maneuver.
Honda’s absence of high-speed performance had been a major drawback in recent times, yet new improvements have significantly boosted the company’s prospects.
Mir achieved a shared top speed of 333.3km/h in the speed trap during the race, while during qualifying both he and LCR Honda riderJohann Zarcohit 338.5km/h – slightly below Acosta’s KTM speed.
Although the 2020 MotoGP champion acknowledged there were certain factors that could be considered, he still believed the pass on Aldeguer demonstrated the advancements Honda has achieved with their engine.
We don’t have a new engine, so this is the current situation. It’s true that Aldeguer’s bike isn’t the fastest Ducati,” he said. “In the past, we just used to dream of keeping up, and now we actually have a chance. We are continuously getting better. Overtaking one Ducati on the straight makes me feel proud.
Honda has emerged as a much more competitive force following the introduction of an enhanced package post-summer break.
Luca Mariniconcluded in a solid fourth position in the sprint race held in Hungary, whereas Mir brought Honda back to the podium during its home race in Japan earlier this month.
Mir admitted that there are still certain areas where Honda is behind, but mentioned he has observed the improvements the company has achieved since he started working at the factory in 2023 following Suzuki’s departure from MotoGP.
“I can strike the front more, I can maneuver the bike better when entering the turns,” he explained.
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But it’s true that we have certain constraints in this area, as grip has always been a challenge. On tracks with low grip, it becomes particularly difficult. We are making some progress in this regard, aiming to enhance it for next year to achieve a more competitive setup.
But we need to be extremely pleased with all the efforts we’ve put in during the three years I’ve been at Honda.
It’s not about the short term, but rather the long-term effort; providing information to engineers, collaborating, and striving to create a competitive package. And now we need to appreciate the present moment.
jasdooit 
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