The Circuit Ricardo Tormo that hosts the Valencia MotoGP is one which has come to reveal the weaknesses of Honda’s MotoGP bike, Joan Mir has defined.
Mir was in a position to make the top-10 in Apply, ending ninth-fastest, however was the one Honda rider to make it immediately into Q2 on Friday on the closing MotoGP spherical of 2025 in Valencia.
The Spanish rider stated that monitor circumstances made issues harder for HRC, the RC213V struggling to work within the low-grip circumstances that offered themselves in Valencia.
“It was troublesome due to the circumstances: right here in Valencia, all the time after we arrive right here the circumstances might be very chilly, this 12 months not particularly however for some cause the monitor isn’t as grippy as I keep in mind,” Joan Mir defined, talking after Apply on Friday in Valencia.
“Soiled, extra white, additionally – the monitor is a extra gray color and earlier than it was extra black, the asphalt was in a greater situation.
“The grip was not excellent for any of us, and usually with low-grip circumstances we all know that we battle extra and that’s a bit the fact. The battle was actual, however we’re in Q2.”
The shortage of grip additionally exposes Honda’s lack of mid-corner velocity in the intervening time – one thing particularly essential at Valencia the place there are a number of corners the place riders are utilizing a number of lean angle whereas on the throttle.
“As a rider, you’ll be able to management braking, you’ll be able to management the traces, you’ll be able to management every part, however [not the grip],” Mir stated.
“Lengthy corners are those that we lose time in comparison with the others, it’s our weak level in the intervening time with this bike and we all know that each time now we have these corners which might be lengthy, preserving velocity and turning with throttle, we lose.
“We’re three-tenths behind and I’m certain that every one of these tenths are within the closing nook, for instance, and in flip eight, additionally.
“So, let’s attempt to enhance the bike a bit tomorrow [Saturday], but when we couldn’t enhance that factor in all of the 12 months it will likely be troublesome to enhance it tomorrow. However, a bit of bit, I believe we are able to.”
Mir believes there’s a probability the grip will enhance this weekend because the monitor turns into extra used, however he doesn’t count on a number of grip to come back from the monitor.
“I count on to get a bit higher grip throughout tomorrow and [onwards],” the Honda HRC Castrol rider stated.
“However I don’t count on large grip.
“In all probability higher grip circumstances might help us to have a extra aggressive bike, naturally, however now we have to do one thing.
“Within the final races, I don’t contact a lot the bike, and the bike roughly is working nicely in all places, however right here I believe we have to modify one thing.”
Marini: “We struggled a lot at the moment”
Luca Marini echoed his teammate’s ideas,and added that the bike is harder to experience at Valencia now than it was two years in the past when he rode it for the primary time within the 2023 post-race take a look at.
“Generally, prior to now, it was a monitor that was excellent for Honda,” Marini stated after Apply.
“However, now, the grip has completely modified in comparison with two years in the past and now it’s actually troublesome to experience the bike – in entry, in exit, the grip stage is zero.
“We struggled a lot at the moment [Friday], we didn’t count on this.
“We have to enhance the bike for tomorrow morning as a result of nonetheless now we have a chance.
“However I keep in mind that it was a lot better using the bike right here prior to now; now every part comes harder.”
Marini agreed with Mir that the monitor circumstances weren’t serving to issues.
“The temperature at the moment was improbable, was excellent,” he stated.
“Simply the [asphalt], I don’t know if it’s for the flood, for the rain, for the sand – it was this morning stuffed with sand and was a bit of bit tough for this.
“However that is the situation for everyone so now we have to attempt to adapt on this and attempt to enhance.
“I believe tomorrow morning every part might be higher, and we’ll attempt to enhance our lap occasions.”
The shortage of grip was one thing sudden by Honda, Marini added: “The monitor is totally one other stage in comparison with the previous years and it’s a bit of little bit of a shock for us – we didn’t count on it.
“So, sideways loads in entry, additionally in acceleration it’s simple to interrupt the grip and miss one thing in acceleration.
“So, within the time assault we’re not so aggressive, however tomorrow morning now we have an opportunity to enhance the bike in FP2 to attempt some resolution. For certain, we’ll enhance.”
