- Mir arguably Honda’s fastest rider in 2026, yet finds himself lowest scorer.
- 2020 world champion insists he has no regrets about aggressive approach.
- Will his all-or-nothing mentality is a strength or a liability.
“I had to try; I don’t regret anything.” These were Joan Mir’s words after his COTA retirement last Sunday. But with five DNFs in six outings and just three points in 2026 so far, is he guilty of trying too hard?
There is little doubt that the 2020 world champion is the fastest Honda rider right now. Being their fastest qualifier in two of the three rounds proves that. However, the incriminating bottom line is that he’s also the lowest-scoring Honda rider, even below a struggling Yamaha in 19th. So, why is he throwing away points so recklessly?
The answer perhaps lies in the Spaniard’s willingness to go over the limit in pursuit of results that aren’t yet feasible on the current RC213V.
According to GPOne.com, Mir explained his mindset, saying, “I want to go into races hoping to have a chance. I don’t want it to be like that again, but I’m a rider who doesn’t want to be just part of the whole.
“I enjoy myself when I can fight for good results. In my case, this leads to a lot of crashes. But here I had to give it a shot, and I don’t regret anything.”
Mir and the points that got away
It’s cruel in hindsight how he would have finished on the podium had he not crashed from P4 on the final lap of the Austin sprint, given Pedro Acosta’s post-race tyre pressure penalty.
P5, P7, P3, P6. These are the points-scoring positions that the 28-year-old has squandered. That’s 37 points lost, which could have put him sixth in the championship.
But Mir also reasoned why the Honda isn’t well-suited to side-by-side combats during races, even if the one-lap pace is promising.
“I was trying to make up for the time lost on the exit by gaining it on the entry, but then I lost control of the front—that’s the story of the weekend,” he said.
“We need to try to improve the rear so we can manage the front with more confidence. If we don’t improve on this point, it will be difficult to fight with the others without taking risks.
“When I’m on my own, I can go very fast without taking too many risks. But when I’m behind another rider, I have to take a big risk braking in the slipstream. If I want to make up time, I have to take a double risk. This increases the chances of crashing.”
Your move, Honda
Mir staying away from injuries despite the crashes piling up is a notable consolation. His factory teammate Luca Marini’s polar opposite tendency to not crash and safely bring home the results on offer—23 points so far—provides a peek into Honda’s two-pronged approach in developing their bike.
Whether Mir is also auditioning for other constructors is a question only he can answer. But with rumours of Fabio Quartararo having signed a Honda deal for 2027 swirling around while the LCR satellite lineup looks locked in, it’d be interesting to find which current factory rider the Japanese giant favours.
Will it be the proven world champion willing to override the bike and crash frequently to find its limits, or will it be the meticulous and calculating feedback provider who brings stability but not the same peaks? Only time will tell.
