The bleak performance of the Honda was still Joan Mir’s best bet for a MotoGP future, he has 🐲been told.

Mir is expected to remain with Repsol Honda by signi☂ng a new contract for next season and beyond.

He has previously complained, and even publicly talked about retiring, since swappi꧟ng Suzuki for Honda in 2023.

“The reality is, he doesn’t have a💟 better option,” Mir was told by TNT Sports’ Neil Hodgson.

“That is re🐼ality. That’s thജe risk you take when you sign for Honda.

“We’ve seenꦉ over the past four or five years that it stalls your career.”

His new ♐teammate Luca Marini has been 𓆏tied down to a long-term deal, but his first year as a factory rider has been a nightmare.

Marini has regularly been rooted to 🍌the back of the🙈 pack.

Mir, after multiple crashes las🍸t year, has remained upright more often but still cannot extract perforꦯmance from his bike.

Reprieve for Takaaki Nakagami?

Meanwhile, at LCR Honda, Johann Zarco is contracte🌃d into next year but teammate Takaaki Nakagami is not.

Honda reportedly want to ༺keep a Japanese presence among their riders - but Ai Ogura is loom🅷ing from Moto2, threatening Nakagami’s future.

Ogura was not deemed ready last year but, this season, has delivered far mo🎶re assured performances.

But Hodgson doubts that Ogura wants to step up into 💜MotoGP yet.

“He was adamant,” Hodgson said at A𒁏ssen. “I pressed him on it. He said ‘I won’t go unless I win the Moto2 championship’.”

Sylvain Guintoli ad🌟ded: “He will get the ride at some point. It’s better to stay in Moꦚto2 and win the championship.”

Hodgson said: “I guess he’s h😼oping that if he waits another year, there’s a chan𝔍ce of improving the bike.”

Guintoli: “Or a coupl📖e of yea♐rs for a rule change. But that’s a long time.”