In November 2020, the Mallorcan returned the manufacturer of the big S to glory, two decades after the last title in the heavy bike category, the one won by Kenny Roberts Júnior, in 2000. A year after that milestone, Mir finished last year pissed off, powerless to see that with what he had it was not enough to be able to fight Fabio Quartararo, who took over as champion, nor Pecco Bagnaia, the second classified. The #36 finished third in the statistics, with 70 points less than the Devil and 44 less than the Italian.
Last year was not easy for anyone at Suzuki , who lost his team manager a month before the start of the preseason: Davide Brivio , one of the capital pieces of the MotoGP project since the constructor’s return to the championship (2015), signed with the Alpine Formula 1 team. Adding to that totally unexpected departure was the slowdown in the evolution of the GSX-RR. Above all, in the aspect related to the engine, a handicap that was very clear from the first stop on the calendar, in Qatar. There, Mir was overtaken on the same finish line by the Ducatis of Johann Zarco and Pecco Bagnaia without being able to do anything but watch them go by. His frustration increased with the passing of the Grand Prix, and even made him consider the possibility of a change of scenery. Before, however, he wanted to give the company that bet on him in 2018 a chance, when he was racing in Moto2, where he could not win a single race.
With less than a year to go until his contract expired, it was crucial for the Spaniard to verify that Suzuki was still committed to his competition in MotoGP, and that involved two elements that had to be reviewed this winter. In the first place, the hiring of a team manager who would again act as a guide and focus for a troop quite discouraged by the lack of leadership. That folder was resolved a few days ago with the announcement of the incorporation of Livio Suppo. And, obviously, the revitalization of the bike, basically injecting more power into the engine. Well, as the Spaniard acknowledges in statements to Motorsport.com , Suzuki has reacted in a big way, so his priority is clear.
“As I said in pre-season, I wanted to see how the new bike was going and what was going on with the team manager before thinking about the renewal. I see that Suzuki has made a great effort to meet our requests and, therefore, my priority will be to renew. My representative will meet with Livio and Sahara to negotiate the details,” Mir told Motorsport.com , before adamantly denying having had any contact with anyone.
“Those rumors are totally false. I have not received any offer because we have not negotiated with anyone. I asked [Suzuki] for an evolution of the bike and the hiring of a team manager, and the brand has responded to my demands. That is why I am going to give it priority, although that does not mean that nothing is closed. I am not in any hurry or worried about my future, since I am very confident in my potential. Surely I will have a good team in 2023”, he says, while classifying as “fake news” some information that placed him in the orbit of Honda and Yamaha.
Both in Sepang and Mandalika, where the winter rehearsals took place this February, the man from Palma recovered his best version, even though an untimely gastroenteritis prevented him from shooting the last day in Indonesia. This Sunday, in Losail , where everything starts again, he sees himself in a position to once again measure himself short with the fastest.
“This winter I have worked well and I see myself ready to fight for the title. Suzuki has greatly improved the bike; both the engine and other aspects as well. I have the feeling that we will be competitive from the start”, emphasizes Mir.
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Photo de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
