In recent days at the Buriram circuit, Joan Mir finished seventh and tenth. Considering where Honda was just a couple of seasons ago, these are two seemingly encouraging results, yet on the eve of the first weekend of the season, the Spaniard appeared anything but encouraged, instead he was rather fearful about not being able to confirm the growth that began last year.
"I expected more from this track during testing, because at Sepang the progress was evident compared to last season. Instead, I had to deal with unexpected grip issues that prevented me from getting where I wanted to be and pushing as hard as I wanted to. I also felt a bigger gap between us and Aprilia and Ducati, so it will be tough. At this point, we can only try to give 100%," he reflected, trying not to write off the Thai race as already lost or a defeat. "I'm convinced that we will be able to make progress. After all, it's only the first race," he said philosophically.
Aware of the limitations of his bike, the former Suzuki rider was keen to point out that cosmetic changes will be of little use, calling instead for substantial interventions."Working on the setup allows you to hide some problems, but when you lack mechanical grip,it doesn't help to compensate. It's a nightmare problem for everyone. If you have too much grip, the setup can help, but if you don't have it, it's difficult to find," he revealed.
Despite a potentially inconsistent season, morale must remain high. "Finishing the year on a positive note helps you start the next one the same way. Personally, I feel like I'm riding well, but we need to find something that allows us to be strong and consistent in all races. So far, we've tackled two tracks, and while we were fast on one, we weren't very fast on the other. That's the reality," he said.
The transition from segment D to C and thus the end of concessions represented a major milestone for Honda at the end of 2025. A little help and a few less commitments that are still considered positive today. "When you're lost and need to find your direction,concessions help, but once you've found yourself and know more or less what the next step is, they are no longer necessary, and that's exactly where we are now. So now we just have to make sure we move well because the next moves will influence the season," the 28-year-old pointed out, arguing that "the margin for growth is wide."
In the last few hours, news has finally spread of the departure of Hikaru Tsukamoto, head of the brand's research and development division, which also covers MotoGP. "I've heard the news, but I can't comment. These are moves within a large company, and it's normal for them to happen for the good of the company," he said, wishing the departing employee all the best for the future.