Joan Mir and Honda celebrated their first MotoGP podium finish together at the Japanese Grand Prix in Motegi.
The 2020 champion recorded his best run on the Honda at its home turf, qualifying second and going on to finish third in the main race.
Mir has been vocal about the challenges he’s faced since joining Honda in 2023, but his third-place finish highlighted the progress the Japanese marque has made in 2025 after enduring its worst-ever season in 2024.
“I think it’s difficult for me to express what I feel,” Mir told GPOne post-race.
“It’s been a long and complicated journey to get this result. Much more difficult than I expected.
“It makes me think of when I decided to come to Honda in 2022, when no-one was looking for this manufacturer, the biggest in the world.
“It was a long, tiring journey with a lot of work and a lot of doubts.
“Finally, we managed a weekend like this, fighting for the pole, in the Sprint and for the podium. It’s great, I can’t ask for more.
“We’ve made steps forward from the beginning of the season, and my potential now is different from what I had at the beginning of the season.
“I just need some luck to put together a result. So I thank those who made it possible and those who never often believed in it.”
Mir’s podium finish on one side of the garage was a huge positive for the Japanese marque, especially considering team-mate Luca Marini retired for the first time all season.
“From the start, I could feel something was not working correctly with the bike,” Marini said via Honda’s official press release.
“The situation did not improve so I had to return to the garage and unfortunately finish the race. It’s a shame because I think that we could have been up there at the front fighting.
“It’s a great day for Honda, Joan was able to show the potential of the bike and it’s a big boost for everyone who is involved in this project.
“With this result for him and this result for me, the best thing we can do is go straight to Mandalika and get back to work immediately.
“I am really looking forward to the rest of the year and continuing what we have shown.”
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