Joan Mir knows he can’t afford to repeat last year’s miserable debut Repsol Honda MotoGP s🌼eason and labels 2024 as 'the most important year of m🧸y career'

Suzuki’s 2020 world 🍌champion scored just 26 points last season and didn’t see a Sunday chequered flag once from April to August, as accidents and injuries took their toll.

A fifth place in India provided a brief glimmer of hope but proved t꧂o be his only top ten appearance.

Fortunately, the heavily revised 2024 H🎀onda prototype, which Mir took to tenth (+0.692s) at the recent Sepang test, is showing signs of progress.

“The truth is this is a very important year for me, maybe the most import🦄ant of my professional career so far,” Mir said at today’s Repsol Honda team launch.

“If a rider has one year that’s not okay… then two in a row is even worse. So I want it to work🌊. I will do my best. I think Honda is on the samꦿe page and I’m very optimistic.”

“It looks like it’s a year of🅷 changes,” he added. “The bike is completely different and the new livery is very aggressive.

“Honestly, I think we’ve improved a little bit of everything. We just miss a little bit of acceleration at the moment, then so♒mething on the aerodynamics.

“But the bike൲ is already completely different in terms of aerodynamics. It looks more like a modern bike! Last year therꦓe was only one wing and this year there are a lot.”

Among the mꦜany changes for Mir this season is a move to the other side of the garage to work with Mar♏c Marquez’s former crew, headed by Santi Hernandez.

“This is a good change, let's say, because with Santi it was very natural at the Sepang test,” Mir said. “We were 🌸able to create a good atmosphere inside the box which very important for a rider and we were able to work well together.

“Also with all the mechanics was something very great. I really enjoy working with them and 🉐I think we can make a good team this season.”

Team manager Alberto Puig insisted there are no question marks over Mir despite 🌠last season.

"We know Joan from the past and we know last yea🌌r he struggled a lot with the bike, but this year he recover๊ed his confidence and he's a very fast rider. He's a two-time world champion. So we have no question mark on him. So let's see how this new bike can help him to deliver his potential."

Pui😼g has also been pleased with the adaptation into the team by new signing Luca Marini.

"For Luca, he's a new guy, but we are really surprised about the way he’s jumped into the team. It's like we knew him for a long time," Puig said. "He's very precise, very structured. He knows what h🌺e wants. 

"He's a young guy th♉at looks very mature in the way he's acting inside the box with the mechanics, with the engineers and at the end of the day he's a very normal guy. 

"From our point of view, it's very easy 🌳to work with a person like this and𒉰 we are very pleased for him to be here with us. 

U🐷nlike new team-mate Luca Marini, Mir’s current contract expires at the end of 2024.

Pre-season testing will conclude in Qat♏ar on 🍌February 19-20.