“In the three days here I learned a lot, especially in terms of the driving style that the Honda demands of me,” said Joan Mir, summing up the Sepang test personally.
Being particularly aggressive on the brakes, even when turning in, up to the apex of the curve – that is the driving style that made Marc Márquez almost invincible at his best and to which the 25-year-old Mir switched without losing his balanced, too many tears for the comparatively easy-to-drive Suzuki of recent years.
“I enjoy driving like this. Every day I drive better and I enjoy this learning process as well. When you can enjoy such a process, everything becomes easier,” said the 2020 world champion.
Accordingly, Mir was satisfied with the sporting interim result and the twelfth place on the third day, where he lost a little more than a tenth of a second to Márquez. “To be as competitive as I am now following three or four days total on this bike is not a bad result. Of course we are still a long way from the top, from Aprilia and especially from Ducati. But that’s something the engineers have to think regarding and where Honda as a factory has a step to go.”
In addition to his riding style, Mir also had to deal with two different frames for his bike in Sepang, an older version, which he used to get used to the Honda on Friday and Saturday morning, and a new version, which he tested from Saturday followingnoon and with which he then turned his fastest lap on Sunday. «The new frame felt a little better, which fortunately was also confirmed in the lap times. Now the comments from Marc and I will be evaluated, then the decision will be made as to which version we will continue with », told Mir.
While the bike is a little easier to steer with the new chassis, Honda still has some catching up to do when it comes to corner exit traction. “Improving acceleration is the most important task. Because when we accelerate, we lose a lot,” Mir noted. “It’s the electronics, but also the aerodynamics that play a major role here. Because if you have more downforce, you can bring more engine power to the ground.”
Mir had nothing to complain regarding the way Honda worked. “I’m happy with the way things are handled in the pits. At Honda you have a lot more people listening to you than at Suzuki – and there are a lot more people behind the scenes working on the bike.”
Sepang test, combined times (10th to 12th February):
1. Marini, Ducati, 1:57.889 min
2. Bagnaia, Ducati, + 0.080 sec
3. Vinales, Aprilia, +0.147
4. Bastianini, Ducati, +0.260
5. Martin, Ducati, +0.315
6. Aleix Espargaró, Aprilia, + 0.418
7. Di Giannantonio, Ducati, + 0.455
8. Bezzecchi, Ducati, +0.474
9. Alex Márquez, Ducati, + 0,496
10. Marc Marquez, Honda, +0.777
11. Raul Fernandez, Aprilia, +0.812
12. Mir, Honda, +0.895
13. Pol Espargaro, GASGAS, +0.908
14. Brad Binder, KTM, + 0,923
15. Oliveira, Aprilia, + 0.950
16. Zarco, Ducati, +0.963
17. Quartararo, Yamaha, +1,008
18. Miller, KTM, + 1,012
19. Kidneys, Honda, + 1,043
20. Morbidelli, Yamaha, +1,097
21. Nakagami, Honda, +1,646
22. Augusto Fernández, GASGAS, + 1,771
23. Crutchlow, Yamaha, +2.034
24. Bradl, Honda, +2,546
25. Nakasuga, Yamaha, + 3,350
Result Sepang test, 12.2.:
1. Marini, Ducati, 1:57.889 min
2. Bagnaia, Ducati, + 0.080 sec
3. Vinales, Aprilia, +0.147
4. Bastianini, Ducati, +0.260
5. Martin, Ducati, +0.315
6. Aleix Espargaró, Aprilia, + 0.418
7. Di Giannantonio, Ducati, + 0.455
8. Bezzecchi, Ducati, +0.474
9. Alex Márquez, Ducati, + 0,496
10. Marc Marquez, Honda, +0.777
11. Raul Fernandez, Aprilia, +0.812
12. Mir, Honda, +0.895
13. Pol Espargaro, GASGAS, +0.908
14. Brad Binder, KTM, + 0,923
15. Zarco, Ducati, +0.963
16. Miller, KTM, + 1,012
17. Oliveira, Aprilia, + 1,033
18. Kidneys, Honda, + 1,043
19. Quartararo, Yamaha, +1,054
20. Morbidelli, Yamaha, +1,097
21. Nakagami, Honda, +1,646
22. Augusto Fernández, GASGAS, + 1,771
23. Crutchlow, Yamaha, +2.034
24. Bradl, Honda, +2,546
Result Sepang test, 11.2.:
1. Martin, Ducati, 1:58.736 min
2. Oliveira, Aprilia, + 0,103 sec
3. Pol Espargaro, GASGAS, +0.145
4. Quartararo, Yamaha, + 0,161
5. Bagnaia, Ducati, +0.331
6. Raul Fernandez, Aprilia, +0.376
7. Marini, Ducati, + 0.382
8. Kidneys, Honda, + 0.427
9. Bastianini, Ducati, +0.458
10. Brad Binder, KTM, + 0,494
11. Morbidelli, Yamaha, +0.553
12. Bezzecchi, Ducati, +0.625
13. Marc Marquez, Honda, +0.714
14. Di Giannantonio, Ducati, +0.766
15. Zarco, Ducati, +0.767
16. Mir, Honda, +0.896
17. Alex Márquez, Ducati, + 1,011
18. Vinales, Aprilia, +1.034
19. Miller, KTM, + 1,123
20. Aleix Espargaró, Aprilia, + 1,281
21. Nakagami, Honda, +1,487
22. Crutchlow, Yamaha, +1,618
23. Augusto Fernández, GASGAS, + 1,996
Result Sepang test, 10.2.:
1. Bezzecchi, Ducati, 1:58.470 min
2. Vinales, Aprilia, +0.130 sec
3. Bastianini, Ducati, +0.262
4. Martin, Ducati, +0.267
5. Bagnaia, Ducati, +0.387
6. Aleix Espargaró, Aprilia, + 0.471
7. Zarco, Ducati, +0.496
8. Di Giannantonio, Ducati, +0.551
9. Alex Márquez, Ducati, + 0,566
10. Morbidelli, Yamaha, +0.648
11. Quartararo, Yamaha, + 0,952
12. Marc Marquez, Honda, +0.954
13. Marini, Ducati, + 0.999
14. Oliveira, Aprilia, + 1,260
15. Raúl Fernández, Aprilia, + 1,343
16. Miller, KTM, + 1,356
17. Mir, Honda, +1,362
18. Kidneys, Honda, + 1,493
19. Augusto Fernández, GASGAS, + 1,557
20. Pol Espargaro, GASGAS, +1,608
21. Brad Binder, KTM, + 1,615
22. Nakagami, Honda, +2,734
23. Nakasuga, Yamaha, + 2,769
24. Bradl, Honda, +5.031 (2 laps only)
