Joan Mir is set to miss his fourth consecutive MotoGP round and the final one at Phillip Island, as Honda confirms the Spaniard continues to recover.
Joan Mir will not be on the grid for Phillip Island’s final MotoGP Grand Prix. After being forced to retire early during the San Marino GP weekend due to extreme fatigue, Mir was sidelined for the Austrian, Japanese, and Indonesian rounds following advice from MotoGP Medical Director Dr. Angel Charte.
Extensive medical examinations at the Dexeus University Hospital have so far failed to pinpoint a clear diagnosis for the severe fatigue and physical symptoms the Honda rider has suffered for months. With testing still inconclusive, Mir’s medical team has deemed it too early to return to competition in Australia.
Honda left with no replacement rider for Joan Mir
Mir’s ongoing absence has created an operational headache for Honda HRC Castrol. Test and wildcard rider Takaaki Nakagami was ruled out following a left collarbone fracture sustained during a crash in Motegi, forcing the team to call upon lead test rider Aleix Espargaro for the Indonesian Grand Prix.
Espargaro, who fractured four vertebrae in a brutal April test crash at Sepang, struggled with the physical demands upon his race return at Mandalika. Lacking the endurance and suffering from arm pump, the Spaniard withdrew ahead of Sunday’s main race. He is now scheduled for surgery in Barcelona and is unavailable to substitute for Mir.
With no eligible substitute riders available, Honda will enter the Australian Grand Prix weekend with Luca Marini as the factory squad’s sole representative on the grid.
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