Joan Mir Reveals Key Changes At Honda Maximizing MotoGP Concession Benefits

Saajan Jogia | Dec 24, 2024

Apr 12, 2024; Austin, TX, USA; Joan Mir (36) of Spain and Repsol Honda Team during practice for the MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas at Circuit of The Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

In 2024, MotoGP introduced an updated concession system aimed at helping Honda and Yamaha bridge the performance gap with their dominant European rivals, following a significant decline in competitiveness the previous year. However, factory Honda rider Joan Mir expressed that the new system has had little impact on Honda's performance but pointed out changes that are already underway to improve the Japanese manufacturer’s testing process and boost its performance in the coming season.

Mir believes that despite their intended purpose, the concessions introduced in MotoGP failed to lift Honda out of its current struggles. The team remained at the bottom of the manufacturers’ standings, concluding the season with only 75 points. This was the case even with the significant flexibility granted to implement new developments, such as multiple engine specifications, and the opportunity for Mir and teammate Luca Marini to participate in private testing sessions. When he was asked if Honda's position wasn't for MotoGP's concession system, he said:

“This year probably in the same place we are. 

“I hope this helps us for the next one. But in the short term we didn't get any advantage. We see it in the results [that there was no improvement]. 

“We have to find a way to get good pieces [on the bike] that help us to be faster. At the moment, we couldn't get it.”

The Spaniard revealed a drawback of the current testing protocol, where factory riders conduct more tests than Honda's test riders, a point Mir thinks is a disadvantage since that makes his MotoGP season more hectic. He revealed that performing testing duties and riding on race weekends drains him psychologically. However, he pointed out that Honda is in the process of improving testing by onboarding more riders and adding better testing infrastructure for better results next year.

Honda has enhanced its testing program for the upcoming season by appointing Takaaki Nakagami, who has transitioned from his full-time LCR Honda racing role to a Japan-based testing position. In addition, three-time Grand Prix winner Aleix Espargaro has joined Honda's European test team alongside Stefan Bradl. Mir believes these changes will enable Honda to fully capitalize on the concession system, improve overall performance, and reduce the testing responsibilities placed on the riders. He explained:

“The thing that the factory riders are able to test more, I don't think that is an advantage because if the bike is better I would be faster.

“That's why we have a test team. If we go to test something and we stay all day between one week and another one, we don't rest psychologically. 

“We go one test, race, one test, race [and so on]. Sometimes it's worse, [not] better. 

“That's why we have a test team that now is being reinforced and we have to make them work to have proper stuff. What they think is working, we try [that] on the GPs and we see that it's better.”

He added:

“The test team was not [big] enough [this year]. We had just one test rider, and honestly we could improve a lot of the infrastructure of the test team, so they are doing it and I think this for the next year will be very good.”