Joan Mir’s uncompromising approach to racing, combined with the limitations of his Honda, has contributed to him finishing just twice in the opening six races of the MotoGP season.
Mir’s first non-score was due to a severe tyre wear issue at Buriram, but he’s gone on to fall in the last four races – Sprints and GPs – remounting to cross the line 15th in the COTA Sprint.
However, those are also his only mistakes of the season so far, with no crashes in practice, qualifying or warm-ups.
As a result, while Mir’s meagre three championship points make for difficult reading, his total of four crashes is lower than title leader Marco Bezzecchi.
Mir‘s four crashes also puts him level with seven other riders – including top KTM rider Pedro Acosta, leading Ducati rider Fabio di Giannantonio and Aprilia’s title runner-up Jorge Martin (see full list below).
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“I like to start a race knowing I have a chance,” explained Mir, who lined up fifth on the grid at COTA.
“For this reason, the most difficult years for me mentally were in ’23 and ’24. I don’t want to go through that again…
“I enjoy when I have the option to fight for something big and that is costing me a lot of crashes.
“But in COTA I had to do it. I have zero regrets. I think the team is supporting me in that way.”
Joan Mir chasing Pedro Acosta for third, 2026 US MotoGP Sprint.
© Gold and Goose
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Mir’s recent Sprint crash at COTA was particularly cruel.
The Spaniard fell on the final lap while pushing to close a 0.3s gap to Acosta and secure what would have been Honda’s first podium of the season.
Instead, Mir crashed, while Acosta was later penalised for tyre pressure, meaning Mir would have inherited third even without passing the KTM rider.
The grand prix brought a much earlier exit, from sixth place on lap 6, again while leading the Honda challenge.
Mir believes the risk issue is rooted in how the RCV behaves, especially under braking in race conditions.
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“We need to improve the rear to ride in a more relaxed way with the front,” explained Mir, who took a pair of Honda podiums late last season.
“The reality is that if we don’t do that, then it will be difficult to fight with the others if I don’t take these risks.”
He added: “When I am alone, I can ride very fast and quite safely. But behind others with this aero, you have to take risks to stop in the same way.
“If I have to recover [time] then I have to take double risk, and that increases our chances of being on the ground.
“This is what is happening, and why I am crashing more in the races. That’s the explanation.”
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Marco Bezzecchi’s Aprilia, 2026 US MotoGP Sprint.
© Gold and Goose
2026 MotoGP falls list after three rounds:
Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia): 6 falls
Pedro Acosta (KTM): 4 falls
Fabio di Giannantonio (Ducati): 4
Alex Marquez (Ducati): 4
Jorge Martin (Aprilia): 4
Jack Miller (Yamaha): 4
Joan Mir (Honda): 4
Franco Morbidelli (Ducati): 4
Ai Ogura (Aprilia): 4
Brad Binder (KTM): 3 falls
Marc Marquez (Ducati): 3
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Yamaha): 3
Pecco Bagnaia (Ducati): 2 falls
Luca Marini (Honda): 2
Diogo Moreira (Ducati): 2
Johann Zarco (Honda): 2
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Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha): 1 fall
Alex Rins (Yamaha): 1
Maverick Vinales (KTM): 1*
Raul Fernandez (Aprilia): 0 falls
Fermin Aldeguer (Ducati): 0*
* Did not compete in all events.
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