Phillip Island.- For very little Joan Mir was cut off in Q1, in fact, with the clock already at zero, the 2020 world champion had the pass in his pocket with one of the two best times, but in his last attempt Johann Zarco and his teammate Alex Rins closed two fast laps that left the Spaniard out.
In this way, Mir will reappear after his injury in Austrias, last August, starting from the fifth row of the grid, something that, today, absolutely penalizes MotoGP, despite the fact that the Balearic sees it differently.
For Mir the weekend has been good, however he couldn’t put together a fast enough lap to be in Q2.
“I don’t understand why I have the pace of the top three, but then I go out alone in qualifying and they put eight tenths on me,” he lamented at the end of the day.
“It’s frustrating that those two or three tenths that you give to follow someone penalize me. I prefer to go alone, but in Phillip Island you know,” he said, admitting that slipstreams are key on this track.
Despite starting so far behind, Mir has pace and looks strong enough to try a comeback.
“If there is a track where it matters little to start 14th, it is this one. The pace will be what will make the difference and I hope to be up there. My pace with the used rubber is very good,” he warned.
For Suzuki the problem of Saturday qualifying has become endemic.
“We have to improve in qualifying, but there is no time left,” he recalled in reference to the Hamamatsu house leaving the World Cup at the end of the year.
With the World Championship open and several drivers close together fighting for the title, the 2020 champion foresees some surprises.
“Things are going to happen, I’m sure of that. There are people who need results and they will get in the way. I expect a group race and I don’t get wet for anyone,” he settled.