Joan Mir sounds the alarm for Honda after Ducati's blistering pace at the Sepang MotoGP test leaves them in the dust. But here's where it gets controversial: Is Honda falling further behind, or is Ducati simply in a league of its own this season? Mir’s Sprint simulation on the final day of testing offered a glimpse of hope, but a stark reality check soon followed. After topping the timesheets on day two with a 1m 56s lap, Mir secured fifth overall—an improvement from last year, but not enough to keep pace with Ducati’s dominance.
And this is the part most people miss: While Mir’s consistency in the 1m 58s range was commendable, it paled in comparison to Ducati’s Alex Marquez, who set a scorching 1m 57.295s lap during his Sprint simulation. Mir bluntly admitted, “We are far,” highlighting the significant gap between Honda and Ducati’s performance. Even more striking? If Mir’s final lap were removed to match Ducati’s ten-lap distance, he’d be over 9 seconds behind Marquez—a margin that would’ve landed him sixth in last October’s Sprint race.
Mir praised the latest RC213V as “slightly better in every area,” crediting small evolutions rather than revolutionary changes. However, he pinpointed grip as Honda’s Achilles’ heel. “Grip is the only thing we should focus on more,” he explained. “With more grip, you control spin better, reduce tire wear, and improve everything.” Despite this, Mir remains cautiously optimistic, believing Honda can fight for a top-four or top-five finish—but not much higher.
Team-mate Luca Marini finished 13th overall, underscoring Honda’s struggle to close the gap. With the final pre-season test at Buriram looming, Honda faces a critical decision: finalizing their 2026 engine spec after moving from D to C in the concession rankings. Here’s a thought-provoking question for you: Can Honda bridge the gap with Ducati before the season starts, or is this the beginning of another challenging year for the team? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
