Joan Mir sounds the alarm for Honda after Ducati's jaw-dropping performance at the Sepang MotoGP test. But here's where it gets controversial: while Mir is cautiously optimistic about Honda's progress, he openly admits they're still playing catch-up to Ducati's blistering pace. And this is the part most people miss: it's not just about raw speed, but the sustainability of that speed over a full race distance.
Mir, who briefly topped the timesheets on day two with a 1m 56s lap, was quick to temper expectations. "We've made improvements compared to last year," he acknowledged. "I was consistently running in the 1m 58s range, which isn't bad. But Ducati has clearly taken a significant step forward this pre-season." When comparing his Sprint simulation to Ducati's Alex Marquez, the gap was stark: Mir would've been over 9 seconds behind, a margin that would've landed him in sixth place in last October's Sprint race.
Here's the kicker: Gresini's Alex Marquez, now on factory-spec Ducati machinery, clocked a staggering 1m 57.295s lap during his Sprint simulation. "That's almost a time attack!" Mir exclaimed. He then explained the challenge Honda faces: "If I pushed for a lap like that, the next lap would be a 2m 01 because I'd destroy the tire. That's the trade-off in time attacks."
Mir, who crashed out of last year's Sprint but rebounded to secure a podium in the Grand Prix, described the latest RC213V as "slightly better in every area." However, he emphasized that these improvements are incremental rather than revolutionary. "We've made small evolutions, which have helped us improve lap times, but we haven't made a huge leap in any one area," he clarified.
When pressed about the bike's weaknesses, the 2020 MotoGP World Champion was blunt: "Grip. We're still far behind. With better grip, we could manage tire spin more effectively, reduce tire wear, and improve overall performance." Despite these challenges, Mir remains cautiously optimistic about Honda's race pace. "If there were a race tomorrow, I think we could fight for the top five or four, but not much higher," he said.
Teammate Luca Marini was the next best Honda rider, finishing the test in 13th place overall. With the final pre-season test scheduled for Buriram on February 21-22, Honda faces a critical decision: finalizing their engine spec for the 2026 season after moving from D to C in the concession rankings.
Now, here's a thought-provoking question for you: Is Honda's incremental approach enough to close the gap with Ducati, or do they need a more radical overhaul to compete at the top? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
