Honda will show up in Austin without Marquez, as was announced yesterday. In the Grand Prix of the Americas, Joan Mir (back from an injury that had forced him to skip Sunday’s race in Argentina) will be joined by test rider Stefan Bradl, who last raced in Texas in 2016.
This will certainly not be an easy weekend for HRC, considering the little experience the Spanish rider has with the RC213V, but Joan wants to start with the right spirit.
“I’m ready to get back on the bike in America. I was able to spend this week at home to fully recover after the fall on Saturday and get back to training,” Mir explained. “Last year, I had a very strong race in Austin, and Honda also has a very strong record here, so the goal is to have a consistent weekend and avoid problems. I think we’ll be able to learn a lot and take another step forward because the two races are the ones where you learn the most about Honda.”
For Bradl, the goal will be to get used to the Texas track as well as the new format with the Sprint Race.
“First of all, I want to wish Marc all the best for his recovery,” Stefan said. “As Honda, we need him back on track. I arrive in Austin after a few days of testing in Jerez, where we were able to try some things. It’ll be interesting to ride at COTA again, where I last raced in 2016. It’ll give me the chance to test the RC213V 2023 on a very different kind of track compared to the ones I’ve ridden on so far this year. Let’s have a productive weekend and see what’s possible.”