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Joan Mir will begin the 2025 MotoGP championship knowing that he can't be in the game because of a Honda that's still struggling to the extent that he can't hope for anything more than a fight for the top 10. The Spanish rider had, however, put everyone behind him just five years ago when wearing his Suzuki colors and was more adept than the others at managing and interpreting a World Championship that was turned upside down by the pandemic.
But a lot has changed since then, starting with the introduction of Sprint Races, which have increased the commitment required of riders and teams and have obviously altered the scoring. Suffice it to say that, if his title came with 171 points, the last one went to Martin with 508.
Remembering his glorious year, the Iberian rider admitted that, even back then, mistakes cost much less than they do today. "I remember that, in the first part of 2020, I was involved of two falls but, after getting on the podium in Austria, I got back into the fight, because I knew I could do it," he said in an exclusive interview on the Crash.net website.
"Our bike wasn't the best, especially in terms of speed, but I was aware that, by not making mistakes, I would be able to have my say, and that's what I did. Bagnaia and Jorge, on the other hand, were able to enjoy a superior bike and, on their worst days, they finished fourth," he then remarked on the differences and on the value of the currently dominant Ducati.
According to the 27-year-old, the MotoGP premier class was a whole different sport once. "There were always different winners and more balance between the bikes. Even if you made a few mistakes, you weren't out of the game. I personally hit the target precisely because of my ability to fall less than others. In 2024, on the contrary, it was a mere duel between Pecco and Martin, with the only possible inclusion of Marquez or Bastianini. Now it's a completely different story," he concluded.
