Joan Mir will take a similar step to Marc Márquez, leaving Honda to join the Gresini team in the 2027 MotoGP season. However, the circumstances surrounding each of these decisions are radically different, reflecting the motivations of each rider.
In 2023, Márquez and Mir shared the same box at Honda. Márquez made the risky decision to abandon a contract with HRC valued at around 20 million euros to join the Faenza team and ride a one-year-old Ducati instead of a new one. His move was not only based on technical aspects but was also a response to a personal crisis to discover the root of his lack of results: whether it was Honda’s fault or if he had lost his competitiveness.
On the other hand, Mir, the 2020 world champion, has not questioned his skills. The current situation for the rider stems from a lack of communication from Honda regarding his continuity. Mir’s attempts to discuss his future were systematically delayed, which led him to seek other options, including Gresini’s offer.
According to Mir, “I didn’t deserve to be treated like this,” expressing clear disappointment over Honda’s abandonment. Gresini, for its part, is known for revitalizing pilots’ careers, as recently demonstrated by Márquez and his brother Alex.
Despite the differences in their move to Gresini, both Márquez and Mir will share a competitive environment that is less media-exposed, an aspect that should allow Mir to focus and bring out the best in himself, something he has been unable to do on a Honda that has suffered during a long period of reconstruction.
Mir’s contract with Gresini was formalized during the French GP in Le Mans, although the official announcement will have to wait until the signing of the new MotoGP Concorde Agreement. Additionally, he is expected to reunite with Frankie Carchedi, his race engineer during the 2020 title at Suzuki.
Márquez entered Gresini with the goal of proving his worth to Ducati, while Mir knows that there will be no vacancy in his factory team until at least 2029, thereby marking the difference in motivations and expectations for both riders in this new challenge.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
