In this chat with Motorsport.com, Joan Mir reveals that the reaction seen this winter by Suzuki has convinced him to the point of putting his renewal with the House of Hamamatsu before any alternative.
In November 2020, Joan Mir led Suzuki to glory twenty years after his last title in the premier class of prototypes, won by Kenny Roberts Jr in 2000. In 2021, however, Mir spent the season angry, realizing that he had no the means to be able to do battle neither to Fabio Quartararo, who took away the scepter, nor to Pecco Bagnaia, second classified. The Majorcan finished third in the world championship, 70 points behind El Diablo and 44 behind the Ducati rider.
Last season was not at all easy for Suzuki, who lost his team manager a month before starting the winter tests: Davide Brivio, one of the cornerstones of the MotoGP project since Suzuki’s return to the world championship (in 2015), has signed with Alpine going to Formula 1. To that unexpected farewell was added the setback of the evolution of the GSX-RR. This was seen above all in terms of engine, and the gap was evident from the first appointment in Qatar. There Mir was overtaken in the same straight by the Ducatis of Johann Zarco and Pecco Bagnaia without being able to help but see them pass. His frustration increased with the passing of the grand prix, making him even think about the possibility of a change of scenery. First, however, he wanted to give an opportunity to the manufacturer who had bet on him in 2018, when he was racing in Moto2, where he hasn’t won a single race.
Less than a year after the expiration of his contract, it is important for the Majorcan to verify that Suzuki remains committed to MotoGP and this verification had to take place through two elements to keep an eye on during the winter. First of all, the hiring of a team manager to act as a guide and a point of reference for a team that is quite unmotivated by the lack of a leader. This aspect has been resolved in recent days with the announcement of the arrival of Livio Suppo. Clearly, secondly there is the revitalization of the bike, to which more power has been added to the engine. According to what the Spaniard recognizes in some statements made to Motorsport.com, Suzuki has reacted very well, so his priority is clear.
“As I said during the pre-season, I wanted to see how the new bike was doing and what happened with the team manager before thinking about the renewal. I see that Suzuki has made a great effort to meet our requests, so my priority is to renew. My manager will meet Livio Suppo and Sahara to negotiate the details, ”Mir told Motorsport.com before categorically denying having had any contact with others.
“These rumors are absolutely false. I have not received offers because I have not negotiated with anyone. I asked Suzuki about an evolution of the bike and the arrival of a team manager, and the brand satisfied my requests. For this I will prioritize, even if this does not mean that it has something closed. I am not in a hurry and the future does not worry me, as I am very confident in my potential. For sure I will have a good team in 2023 ”, he says, categorizing any information that gave him close to Honda and Yamaha as ‘fake news’.
Both in Sepang and Mandalika, where the winter tests took place in February, the Majorcan found his best version, although a gastroenteritis prevented him from shooting during the last day in Indonesia. This Sunday, in Losail, where everything starts again, he sees himself in a position to return to fight with the fastest.
“This winter I worked well and I see myself prepared to fight for the title. Suzuki has improved the bike a lot, both in terms of engine and in other aspects. I have the feeling that we will be competitive from the start ”, reiterates Mir.
Joan Mir, Suzuki MotoGP Team
Photo by: MotoGP
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