At the end of the three test days at the Sepang circuit, Joan Mir didn't appear particularly satisfied. Some issues encountered during the test prevented him from completing the entire program, but the knowledge that he has a bike with room for improvement still made him feel confident about the future.
"We tried things that didn't give us the answers we wanted, so we were forced to follow an alternative plan, and that made us lose time. Similarly, in the afternoon, I tried a different clutch configuration, but it didn't work as we wanted, and we don't know why. It's normal for that to happen during a test, but it definitely affected my day, preventing me from doing the time attack," he explained.
Were you able to focus on the long runs?
"Yes, if we don't consider the pace of the Marquez brothers and Bagnaia, we're in a good position. I think Ducati has made progress, as have we. However, because of their pace, I think it's going to be difficult for us. That said, we have to keep working, because we have more room for improvement than they do or, at least, I like to think so."
How do you rate your pace, in general?
"I set some pretty good times, between 1'58"0 and 1'58"05, and then a couple of 1'59" at the end. The pace isn't bad, but we still have limitations in terms of grip and high temperatures. When conditions are more favorable, my RC213V performs better. So we have to work hard because, to get down to 1'57", we need to find the grip that allows us to control the slipping and keep the tires fresh for more laps."
What's your opinion of Honda's level compared to that of the competition?
"We're not aiming for Ducati, but we're close to other manufacturers. So, in terms of pace, we can compete with our direct rivals, if we're not superior to them. However, looking at the Desmosedici and especially Alex's times, we're far off."
How would you rate the bike? Do you think it's a step up from the 2025?
"The bike has improved significantly overall, even if it's only an evolution. The engine and braking have improved, while progress in aerodynamics is limited, and we still lack grip."
In terms of speed, how did you feel?
"When I tried the time attack on Wednesday, it didn't go badly, and I think we can improve. But, in terms of race pace, if we were racing tomorrow, we could aim for the top five, but nothing more."
Did you notice anything interesting on the track?
"No, but I followed the simulations of the other riders to understand better, and there's work to be done."
If it's any consolation, Alex Marquez's 1'57"2 doesn't seem realistic due to some trajectory errors that he also admitted.
"I wish I could've lapped like him. If that had happened, I would've ended up without tires on the next lap, lapping at 2'!"