GP Qatar, Joan Mir: “I have a love-hate relationship with my Suzuki”

The first MotoGP round is upon us and the Hamamatsu manufacturer aims high as it prepares to line up with the solid pairing of Joan Mir and Alex Rins. The Majorcan got the job done in 2020, and this year he’ll have a more competitive GSX-RR in his hands, as he himself confirms.

Mir: "We’ve had good potential for two years"

“I’m confident that the bike will work better this year”, comments the rider before boarding for Qatar. The improvements are tangible: “The engine has more power. I also think that, having not improved a great deal between 2020 and 2021, the step made in 2022 is bigger. I’m sure of it”. The fight for the title will be tough, sure, but his approach remains the same: “I’ve always focused on one race at a time, giving it my all each time. This year will be no exception. I’ll give 100% in Qatar and then do the same in the next races”.

A lot is expected of him and he knows this: “The expectations are high, we’ve had very good potential for two years. Every year I give more, and we’ll see if we can round out the year fighting at the front”.

21 races will be a challenge

The list of rivals is long: “The Ducatis will be very strong and I think Pecco in particular will be one to beat in every race. Fabio (Quartararo) who won the title last year will be strong. And Marc Marquez is back, always one to look out for. The Suzuki team will be competitive”. The 2022 calendar will be pretty intense, with twenty-one rounds around the world, unlike the last two seasons which were conditioned by the Covid-19 pandemic: “The more races we run, the more time we spend away from home. We’re riders, we have a good job, and clearly it’s not a big problem, though we’ll be more tired physically and mentally”.

But when he’s on track, Mir only has eyes for her: “I have a love-hate relationship with my GSX-RR. I need to talk to her so that she'll help me in races. She can bring me great joy and great sadness".

Translated by Heather Watson

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