Suzuki’s Joan Mir cemented his status as one of the favourites for the 2020 MotoGP world championship – perhaps now the leading contender – with yet another strong and consistent result at Misano.
Snatching second place late in the race for his third podium in four races – after being denied a surefire victory in the fifth of those races by a red flag at the Styrian Grand Prix – his incredible run of consistency means that he’s closed down Andrea Dovizioso’s title lead to a mere four points with seven races left.
Even more impressively, he’s outscored Dovizioso by 16 points in those past five races, despite the Ducati rider taking victory at the Austrian Grand Prix.
Yamaha pair Fabio Quartararo and Maverick Vinales still sit between Dovizioso and Mir in this ultra-tight title fight, but of that top four it’s Mir who seems happiest with his bike and with the most consistently competitive package underneath him.
“I made a click in my mind after the first podium and that’s what has let me fight for the podium in every race” :: Joan Mir
Mir looked to be all but out of contention for the championship after two DNFs in the opening three races of the year, but he’s nonetheless put together an impressive string of consistency since then to compensate for his performances at Brno and Jerez.
“I didn’t expect this, for sure,’ he admitted after today’s race.
“But after Austria, I was really competitive there and was on the podium – and I had the confidence you get from that that tells you you can get more.
“It’s really hard to maintain this consistency but that’s my goal for the rest of the year.
“I feel that I’m fighting for the championship. I’m not looking at it a lot because there’s a lot of points remaining, but it’s true that we’re halfway and it looks like the season starts here.
“The top four are basically on the same points, and let’s see if we can keep our consistency until the last race.”
And while he’s yet to score a victory in the premier class – only taking his first ever podium last month in Austria – he’s intelligent and mature enough to know that there’s a bigger prize at stake than chasing race wins if he can keep myself calm.
“It’s true that we don’t have any victories yet and that’s the main goal,” Mir added.
“But it’s important in the meanwhile to score points. In Austria we had the possibility to win, but to do that you have to start more in the front.”
The consistent results that have made Mir’s rapid rise through the rankings has come partly due to his own coolness, but it’s been aided by another factor as well: the 2020 GSX-RR.
Deemed the “perfect” MotoGP bike by fellow title contender Fabio Quartararo this weekend at Misano, the Suzuki actually lives up to that tag with a balance that has been a huge help to Mir.
Able to be fast not only on the long straights and heavy braking of the Red Bull Ring but also to be right in the mix on Misano’s fast and sweeping corners, Mir can breathe easy now knowing that he’s on a package that should be strong for the remainder of the calendar.
“We are really constant, and my impression is that the Suzuki is a bike with a really good balance that works everywhere,” he said.
“In the last two tracks I felt better with the bike, but I made a click in my mind after the first podium and that’s what has let me fight for the podium in every race.
“It’s true that in the past four races we’ve had three podiums, but it’s only been at two tracks so let’s see what happens in Barcelona.
“I expect to be a bit better in qualifying in front in Barcelona and to be a bit closer to the front.
All but two of Mir’s Moto3 victories came from last lap scraps, with his stunning late-braking ability allowing him to outfox his rivals
“If we can fight for the win that’s great, but it’s important to take the podiums when you can and to go for the win when you can.
“At the moment here, I wasn’t able to get the victory, but that’s how it is.”
Mir’s right to highlight qualifying, as so far his Saturday performances have been the only thing that has held him back this year.
However, when you look at his performance in his dominant Moto3 title-winning year, it’s also apparent that qualifying simply isn’t a strength of his – Mir relying on racecraft not grid positions to take victories.
He took 10 out of 18 race wins in 2017 to wrap up the third-tier title with ease, and only one of those victories came from pole position.
Even more tellingly, all but two of his victories came from last lap scraps, with the Spaniard’s stunning late-braking ability allowing him to outfox his rivals on the run to the line.
That’s a characteristic that’s carried over to MotoGP too, with last lap manoeuvres handing him all three of his podiums so far.
Given the nature of the crazy 2020 season, it’s a skill that’ll suit the 23-year-old well as the tension ramps up higher and higher – and could even deliver him the ultimate prize in motorcycle racing come Portugal in November.
