Joan Mir’s title triumph in the 2020 MotoGP season etched his name in the history books, but the Spaniard’s manager isn’t too happy with the lack of effect it has had on his public image.

The 27-year-old is in a bit of a sticky situation as the MotoGP summer break comes towards its conclusion. Mir has registered eight DNFs, resulting in his contract with Honda for the 2026 season left in limbo.

In May, it was reported that Mir had been offered to LCR, with Johann Zarco eyeing Mir’s seat at the factory Honda team after impressing in his second season on the Castrol-branded bike.

The Spaniard has been extremely unlucky this season, with fans thinking that Mir is cursed following his seventh DNF of the season at the German Grand Prix in July.

READ MORE: Everything to know about Honda from the MotoGP team’s riders to leadership

Joan Mir’s lack of recognition on the streets of Spain annoys his manager greatly

Speaking on an episode of the Pit Talk podcast, MotoGP journalist Simon Patterson talked about the sentiment of Dorna’s commercial direction with the sport, as well as what Mir’s manager once said to him after the Spaniard became the world champion of the premier class in 2020.

“There’s this sense that the minute in MotoGP,” Patterson started, “especially in some of the traditionally strong markets, that they’re almost disappointed that they’re not who they wanted to be when they were kids. 

“Joan Mir’s manager told me once that the thing that makes him the most angry about Dorna is the fact that Joan Mir can walk down the street in Madrid and no one stops him for a selfie.

“The guy’s the MotoGP world champion in what should be GP’s biggest market? But that is something that is really suffered through the kind of universal move to pay-per-view TV.”

READ MORE: Everything to know about Joan Mir from net worth to career stats

Neil Hodgson shared a similar opinion on the representation of MotoGP riders

Due to Marc Marquez’s sheer dominance in MotoGP during this season, he has become one of the most popular names across the sporting landscape on social media.

A post on X highlighting the records that the Ducati rider holds in the premier class led Neil Hodgson to respond to the post, asking the account to, “Talk about someone else. How about Rins?”

Marquez is the current MotoGP rider with the biggest following on Instagram, boasting 7.8 million followers on the platform. Valentino Rossi is the only rider in the history of MotoGP to have accumulated more than him, with The Doctor posting to over 16.8 million followers on Instagram.

Rossi’s influence on the sport can’t be overstated, with his worldwide acclaim earning him the nickname of ‘the Michael Jordan of motorcycles’ from a Pramac chief.