Joan Mir appeared at the Sling presentation in Yakarta, Indonesia, with a renewed sense of optimism. The Balearic rider had a difficult 2024 season, marked by numerous falls and disappointing results, including a tenth place in the Jerez sprint and an eleventh place in the Misano Sunday race. This led to a 21st place finish in the overall MotoGP standings. However, Mir is looking forward to the 2025 season with a positive attitude, citing changes in the project that give him hope for improvement.
The new season brings a fresh look for Mir’s team, with new colors and a new sponsor, Castrol. Mir expressed his enthusiasm for the updated design, saying “New colors, which are pretty. We have a new sponsor, Castrol, is very nice. I am happy to see the motorcycle with these colors. Honestly, it’s pretty. Probably, give more importance to Honda with these colors.” He also stated that he is eager to achieve good results and is looking forward to the upcoming season.
Mir has been in talks with his team and has seen a change in their approach, which he believes will help them improve. He noted that the team has new members and new ideas, and he is eager to see the results. Mir also acknowledged that he needed a break at a personal level, saying “I really wanted to stop, load the batteries, spend time with the family, spend time at home.” He feels ready to start the new season and is looking forward to seeing the evolution of the team.
Regarding the upcoming test, Mir will not participate in the ‘Shakedown’ but will arrive at Sepang to discuss the test plan with his team. He agrees with the decision to focus on preparing for the three-day test, citing the need to try many things and the presence of two strong test pilots. Mir believes that the test pilots will take the first steps to improve the motorcycle, and then he will have three days to try things out, followed by two more days of testing.