Bikesrepublic

Joan Mir

Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) announced the signing of 24-year-old Joan Mir ahead of the Gran Premio Gryfyn di San Marino e della Rivieria di Rimini. 

  • Joan Mir agreed a two-year contract to joined HRC.
  • The Spanish rider will team up with Marc Marquez.

The 2020 MotoGP World Champion will ride alongside six-time MotoGP champion, Marc Marquez on board the Honda RC213V machinery, next year.

According to HRC, the Spaniard has signed a two-year contract thus ending ongoing speculation regarding his future in the premier class.

“Honda Racing Corporation are proud to announce the signing of Joan Mir. 

“The 2020 MotoGP World Champion established himself as a World Champion-level talent from his first full season in Moto3 in 2016. 

“In 2017 the #36 lifted the lightweight class crown aboard a Honda before moving to the intermediate class the following year. 

“Alongside two World Championships, the Spanish rider has claimed 12 Grand Prix wins and 33 podiums,” said HRC in a statement. 

Mir will  joins current teammate, Alex Rins in moving across from Suzuki to Honda at the end of 2022 campaign. 

Joan Mir akan terus beraksi di kelas premier MotoGP bagi musim 2023 setelah disahkan menjadi pelumba pasukan Repsol Honda musim depan. 

Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) dalam satu kenyatana rasmi kepada media mengumumkan perkara tersebut.

Menurut HRC, pelumba berusia 24 tahun itu akan beraksi dengan jentera Honda RC213V bersama pasukan factory setelah mengikat kontrak dua tahun.

Ini bermakna, bekas juara dunia MotoGP musim 2020 itu akan dipadankan bersama Marc Marquez musim depan.

Pengumuman itu pastinya sesuatu yang dinantikan Mir setelah masa depannya terumbang-ambing ekoran penarikan diri Suzuki dari kejuaraan dunia MotoGP, sebelum ini.

Mir ketika ini sedang menjalani proses pemulihan selepas mengalami kecederaan serius ekoran kemalangan ‘highside’ di litar Red Bull Ring di Austria.

Dia juga akan terlepas aksi hujung minggu ini di Misano dengan tempatnya akan digantikan dengan pelumba Suzuki Endurance Racing Team, Kazuki Watanabe.

Suzuki has officially stated its intent to leave MotoGP at the end of this season, citing financial difficulties.

(more…)

Meskipun MotoGP baru memasuki pusingan keenam namun kejuaraan dunia motosikal itu telah pun terpalit dengan berita menggemparkan apabila Suzuki dikatakan bakal meninggalkan perlumbaan itu hujung musim ini.

Beberapa laporan media antarabangsa melaporkan Suzuki telah pun memaklumkan ahli pasukan mengenai perkara itu sewaktu sesi ujian di Jerez, Isnin lalu.

Walaupun senario itu belum disahkan namun keengganan Suzuki untuk mengeluarkan kenyataan rasmi berkenaan isu tersebut memberi bayangan bahawa dakwaan itu adalah benar.

Pihak Dorna dalam satu kenyataan juga mengingatkan Suzuki bahawa pasukan itu telah menandatangani kontrak sehingga 2026 sekaligus sebarang keputusan perlulah dibincangkan bersama.

Dalam perkembangan terbaru, pengurus pelumba Joan Mir, Paco Sanchez memberitahu media bahawa dia dan Mir langsung tidak tahu mengenia perancangan Suzuki itu.

Menurut Sanchez, Mir juga hampir menandatangani kontrak baharu untuk kekal di pasukan itu melebihi 2023 sebelum berita tergempar itu dilaporkan.

Bagaimanapun, keputusan Suzuki untuk berdiam diri telah memaksa Sanchez untuk mengadakan perbincangan dengan kesemua pasukan di MotoGP dalam usaha mencari pasukan baharu.

“Saya harap saya dapat cari jentera yang bagus untuk Joan (Mir).

“Kami juga risau akan keseluruhan kakitangan pasukan. Mereka individu yang profesional.

“Jika Suzuki sah tinggalkan MotoGP, saya harap mereka dapat mencari pekerjaan. Ramai ahli keluarga akan berdepan mimpi negeri,” jelasnya.

Selain Mir, status Alex Rins juga tergantung apatah lagi kontraknya akan tamat hujung musim ini.

Terdapat dua berita mengejutkan hadir dari kem MotoGP baru-baru ini bermula dengan Suzuki yang dikatakan akan meninggalkan Kejuaraan Dunia MotoGP pada penghujung musim 2022 ini.

Sementara itu, pasukan kendalian Razlan Razali, RNF Racing – yang dijenamakan semula daripada Petronas Sepang Racing Team (PSRT) – dikatakan akan menjadi pasukan satelit bagi Aprilia, meninggalkan Yamaha.

Suzuki Tinggalkan MotoGP

Berbalik kepada Suzuki, pelbagai media antarabangsa telah mendakwa bahawa Suzuki akan meninggalkan MotoGP pada penghujung musim 2022.

Perkara itu tercetus setelah ahli pasukan Suzuki telah diberitahu berita mengejutkan itu sewaktu ujian pasca perlumbaan di Jerez, Isnin lalu.

Berita itu ternyata mengejutkan apatah lagi Suzuki telah pun menandatangani kontrak untuk kekal di MotoGP sehingga 2026.

Sekiranya benar – masih menanti jawapan rasmi dari Suzuki – ini merupakan kali kedua pasukan dari Hamamatsu, Jepun itu undur diri setelah melakukannya pada 2012-2014 atas faktor kewangan.

Pada masa sama, ini juga bermakna, pelumba sedia ada, Alex Rins dan Joan Mir akan ketiadaan pasukan memasuki musim 2023.

Bagaimanapun, ketikat ini Mir dikaitkan dengan perpindahan ke Repsol Honda bagi digandingkan dengan Marc Marquez dengan kontrak Pol Espargaro dijangka tidak akan disambung hujung musim ini.

RNF Racing Jadi Pasukan Satelit Aprilia

Aprilia dijangka akan memiliki pasukan satelit seawal musim 2023 apabila didakwa akan berkerjasama dengan RNF Racing MotoGP.

Kontrak RNF Racing bersama Yamaha dikatakan tidak akan disambung sebaik kerjasama kedua belah pihak tamat pada penghujung musim ini.

Menurut laporan media Sepanyol (MARCA), perbincangan antara RNF Racing dan Aprilia telah pun berjalan dengan kedua-dua pihak telah mencapai persetujuan bersama.

Sekiranya benar, maka Razlan Razali bakal menempah cabaran baharu bersama Aprilia setelah beberapa tahun berkerjasama dengan Yamaha.

Bagaimanapun, setakat ini, masih tiada kenyataan rasmi dikeluarkan daripada pihak Razlan Razali.

Apa yang pasti perkembangan kedua-dua pasukan ini pastinya akan membawa perubahan besar terhadap saingan MotoGP musim depan apatah lagi Dorna dalam satu kenyataan mendakwa terdapat banyak pihak yang berminat untuk mendapat slot di MotoGP musim depan.

Apa pun, kita nantikan kemas kini terbaru daripada kedua-dua pihak.

Marc Marquez wants Safety Commission to ban the controversial ‘ride-height/holeshot device’ amid fears it could push GP bikes to unsafe levels.

 

The six-time MotoGP champion believed that the device is not just an added complication but could also affect riders’ safety at tracks that don’t offer long run-offs.

“For me it’s something that for the future they must remove. I already said last year when I arrived after my injury.

“I think all the riders need to go together (safety commission).

“Manufacturers will always go more, more and more, but now with more stroke on the rear, more speed, more stroke on the front, it’s difficult to engage on the start procedure.

“For the show we don’t gain anything. Okay it’s a prototype, but for street bikes, you don’t need the holeshot.

“The aerodynamics I agree with because it’s nice and new things, but the holeshot system; always the run-off areas are trying to be increased, you are arriving faster on the break points and braking later, so for the future there is no sense,” said the Spaniard.

Meanwhile, 2020 MotoGP world champion Joan Mir thinks the technology is just too much for the sport.

“For me, it’s starting to be too much.

“Every time we arrive faster into the straight; we will reach 370kmph soon. The layouts are the same and for sure it’s more performance.

“Also, on the acceleration side it’s more difficult to make a difference. If you use everything then it’s more performance but it’s not the best thing for safety,” said the Suzuki rider.

However, last season’s runner-up, Francesco Bagnaia, revealed that he has no problem using a device that Ducati pioneered in the first place.

The ride-height device allows riders to push the suspension down to improve stability, and while it was used at the start of a race, Ducati expanded it to be used in motion. This allows riders to exit corners at higher speeds and slingshot onto a straight.

Fabio Quartararo merekodkan kemenangan ketiga musim ini selepas berjaya mengungguli kelas premier di GP Itali.

Pelumba factory Yamaha itu yang bermula di petak pertama pada awalnya dipintas pelumba Ducati, Francesco Bagnaia.

Bagaimanapun, Bagnaia hilang kawalan lalu terbabas di awal perlumbaan lalu membuka ruang buat Quartararo untuk terus meratah selekoh di Mugello sehingga ke garisan penamat.

Walaupun pada satu ketika dipintas rakan senegara, Johann Zarco di garisan lurus namun kecekapan jentera YZR-M1 dan Quartararo di bahagian selekoh ternyata terlalu sukar ditangani.

Kejayaan ini sekaligus mengukuhkan kedudukan Quartararo selaku pendahulu kejuaraan dunia dengan 105 mata diikuti Zarco (81 mata) dan Bagnaia (79 mata).

Sementara itu, pelumba KTM, Miguel Oliveira, berjaya merekodkan podium pertama musim ini selepas disahkan menduduki tempat kedua ekoran Joan Mir melangkaui had litar di selekoh terakhir.

Dalam perkembangan sama, pelumba veteran, Valentino Rossi turut menghadiahkan kedudukan terbaik buat Petronas Sepang Racing Team (PSRT), musim ini apabila menamatkan perlumbaan di tempat ke-10.

Marc Marquez pula terus kempunan apabila terbabas di awal perlumbaan lalu membantutkan usaha untuk kembali meraih momentum musim ini.

Rakan sepasukan Mir di Suzuki Ecstar, Alex Rins turut kecundang di hujung perlumbaan meskipun berpeluang cerah menaiki podium kali ini.

Ini merupakan kejadian ketiga Rins gagal menamatkan perlumbaan musim ini.

Berikut keputusan penuh perlumbaan GP Itali:

Suzuki has officially extended their stay in MotoGP for the next five years from 2022-2026.

The Japanese marquee now joins KTM, Ducati, Honda and Yamaha in signing the new contract extension.

Suzuki recorded their first premier-class win in 2000 with Kenny Roberts Jr, who clinched the title with two races to spare.

Then between 2002-2011, Suzuki only claimed one race win before bowing out of MotoGP due to the financial crisis before returning in 2015 with an all-new GSX-RR that helps propelled the career of Maverick Vinales, Alex Rins and Joan Mir.

Mir emerged as Suzuki 2nd world champion by defying the odds to rule the 2020 season despite the global pandemic.

Suzuki is currently interested in fielding a satellite team ahead of the 2022 season, with Petronas, VR46 and Gresini as possible candidate.

Aprilia is now the last remaining manufacturer that has yet to re-sign with Dorna.

2020 MotoGP World Champion, Joan Mir, will head into the 2021 season with his usual #36.

The Suzuki rider opted to stay loyal to his current #36 instead of using the #1 after winning the title last season.

“The number will be the same as always, the loyal one, #36.

“I think it would have been awesome to use the #1, a unique experience and a dream.

“But I believe that 36 is the number with which I’ve worked hard, and it has taken me to where I am now, winning two world championships [MotoGP and Moto3],” he explained.

The #1 was last seen in 2012 with Casey Stoner at Repsol Honda, while Marc Marquez and Valentino also kept the usual numbers with 93 and 46, respectively.

How the story of Suzuki dominance last year in MotoGP could have changed if former team manager, Davide Brivio, opted for Jorge Lorenzo in 2019.

Brivio, who recently left Suzuki and MotoGP to join Alpine’s Formula 1 team explained the reason behind the Japanese marque decision to pick Joan Mir in 2019 which consequently led to the team first-ever premier class world championship since 2000.

Lorenzo was ousted from Ducati in 2019 after a difficult start in 2017 and continue to struggle the following season.

Suzuki was eyeing the former three-time world champion but according to Brivio, their attention was swayed towards Mir later on.

“Winning 10 races (in 2017) and being a Moto3 champion is something that caught our attention.

“At that time we had the option of signing Jorge Lorenzo. In the end, we had to decide between Lorenzo and Mir.

“It was not a choice between two riders, rather it was choosing a philosophy and the direction that we wanted to take in the future: take a veteran rider like Lorenzo or develop young talent.

“The more we got to know Joan and the more we learned about him,” explained Brivio.

Mir had an option to sign for Honda in 2019 but only for satellite placement.

Mir was a no brainer for Brivio who maintain a philosophy of signing young talent, having done so with Maverick Vinales in 2015 and Alex Rins two years later.

The MotoGP 2021 season will see a new major partnership between Monster Energy and Team Suzuki Ecstar after signing a multi-year agreement with the Japanese manufacturer. This makes a lot of sense considering that both Joan Mir and Alex Rins are already sponsored riders under the Monster Energy flag. (more…)

After 20 years, a rider from Suzuki has finally become a MotoGP world champion thanks to Joan Mir. Yesterday’s race in Valencia saw an epic battle upfront between Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) and Jack Miller (Pramac Ducati), but a seventh-place finish for Mir was more than enough to seal the deal in the rider’s championship. (more…)

Archive

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on YouTube