Joan Mir has expressed his disappointment with Honda’s performance in the 2024 MotoGP season, claiming that the concessions introduced to aid struggling manufacturers offered “no advantage” for the team’s development.
MotoGP implemented an updated concessions model to help Honda and Yamaha address their performance struggles. These concessions allowed unrestricted engine development and testing with race riders, starting in the 2024 season. Despite these measures, both teams failed to secure any podium finishes, and Honda’s performance worsened compared to the previous year.
In the constructors’ championship, Honda managed just 75 points across its four riders, a steep decline from the 185 points it scored in 2023. Mir himself endured a difficult campaign, scoring points in only seven races and finishing the season with 21 points—five fewer than in 2023. Adding to his frustration were 17 crashes throughout the season.
When asked where Honda would have been without the concessions, Mir responded glumly: “This year, probably in the same place we are. I hope this helps us for the next one. But in the short term, we didn’t get any advantage. The results show there was no improvement.”
Mir has been vocal in criticizing Honda’s lack of progress with the RC213V. He cut a dejected figure during the post-season Barcelona test, where he revealed Honda had not brought any new components that he hadn’t already tested.
While Honda made use of its testing allocation by conducting private sessions between races, Mir argued that this approach sometimes proved counterproductive for riders. “The thing that the factory riders are able to test more, I don’t think that is an advantage because if the bike is better, I would be faster,” he explained. “That’s why we have a test team. If we go to test something and spend all day between one week and another, we don’t rest psychologically. Sometimes it’s worse, not better.”
To address these issues, Honda has strengthened its test team for the 2025 season. The team will now feature three-time Grand Prix winner Aleix Espargaro, who retired from racing at the end of the 2024 season, and Takaaki Nakagami, who has transitioned into a development role after losing his LCR seat to Somkiat Chantra.
Looking ahead, Mir stressed the importance of developing effective components for the RC213V: “We have to find a way to get good pieces that help us to be faster. At the moment, we couldn’t get it.”
Honda faces a critical year in 2025 as it seeks to reverse its fortunes and regain competitiveness in MotoGP. With an enhanced test team and lessons learned from 2024, the manufacturer hopes to make meaningful strides in the upcoming season.
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