Joan Mir still remembers, a year ago, the Qatar test which set the tone for a disastrous MotoGP season.

🍸The 2020 MotoGP champion endured a yea🐻r to forget with Repsol Honda but the tide may finally be turning, albeit slowly.

Mir admits🌟 he still harboured ill feeling towards the Qatar test after last year’s experience♑ but ended the first day pleased with his bike’s progress.

“Well, h𓂃onestly, I felt quite good꧟,” Mir said. “I am happy about the day.

“We were able to be, straight away, quite f🉐ast. “Especially in race pace with the used🗹 tyres.

“I was comfortable. I came with low expectations.

“Last year it was very, very difficult to stay on the 𝐆bike.

“I🅺 was surprised. We have taken the correct steꦛps forward.

“We are in a long process but we are doing the correct steꩵps to arrive on top.”

Luca Marini, Mir’s new Repsol Honda teammate who has ꦐreplaced Marc Marquez, was also complimentary about their ‘24 bike but he warned that other manufacturers were taking similarly large steps forward.

Mir, on Monday at the Qatar testꦺ, was 13th-fastest.

He detailed Honda’s development ❀through preseason: “The potential here, or in Sepang, was similar. It’s the same bike.

“It’s true that, e🐬very time, I know this bike more. I’m closer to the limit.

“I am especially happy bec꧒ause we improved the aerodynamics ꧒a little bit.

“Whenಌ you improve one thing a little bit in MotoGP, you have to be happy.

“Then, the day was aܫbout putting the ele🌠ctronics on point for the new aero.

“It will be important to work on the details. It’s aﷺ new bike. It’s part of the new process.”

MotoGP riders wi😼ll test again in Qatar on Tuesday before the first round of the 2024 season, in the same location, on March 8.