After he had made it in the first race in Austria and was also close at the Styrian GP, with controversies about Pol Espargarò, who went on the green in the last corner, Joan Mir is back on the podium. He did this on the Misano circuit, where he had finished third in 2013 and second in Moto3 in 2014. by beating a hard-fought Valentino Rossi on the final lap.
“In the race Valentino Rossi was just an object in front of me – Joan said after the race – At that moment I didn’t think about who he was, but I felt sorry for him because he did a really good job this weekend. I will never forget to overtake him because it was really nice, today was my day ”.
So good luck for a driver who has shown real consistency in the last few races. A second, a third and a fourth place (not in that order) in Austria and in Misano, two very different tracks that saw a real swing in the performance of the different manufacturers. In a championship won by the men who make fewer mistakes, there seems to be a front row seat for Suzuki as well I’m now fourth at minus 16 on Dovizioso.
“The most important thing is to be competitive in every race and not make mistakes. We have to take advantage of this situation to see where I will end up in the overall standings. It’s nice to be so close to the leaders, but there are a lot of drivers behind me on just a few points. Anything can happen this season because the level is very high, we have to keep fighting for the podium and if we do this every Sunday we might even think about the championship at the end of the season. “
Next weekend the MotoGP will be back here in Misano. What is missing for victory?
“Today I gave everything I had I knew the start was going to be difficult and I almost fell a couple of times then felt good and started running in the high 32s. During the tests on Tuesday we will work with the team to improve qualifying and the first laps. I miss something about the new tire because I feel a lot more stable in the fast sections when it is worn out. “
In front of you are a Yamaha and a Ducati, both in the hands of two very young drivers. What do they have more than you?
“I always thought I could get on the podium. In the final laps I was braking hard and after overtaking Rins and Valentino It only took me one lap to get Bagnaia. The bike was quite nervous in the fast section, it seems that our opponents were stronger there. “
After the good performances in Austria, would you have expected a Suzuki that is so competitive on a completely different track than Spielberg?
“FP1 is very important this year because we can see the position we can be in on Sunday and whether we feel good on the bike or not. The potential was high this time and it was a bit of a surprise. “
Alex Rins: “I’m still not 100%”
It was a great day for Suzuki who, alongside Joan Mir’s podium, also celebrated fifth place for Alex Rins, who was expecting more from the race.
“It’s a disappointment not to be on the podium today – said Alex – In the race I showed what I learned in free practice and my pace was really interesting. The second part of the race was perfect because I was able to catch up with Valentino, but when I caught up with him he turned out to be very intelligent. He always closed the door to overtake, and at that moment my forearm started to hurt and it became impossible for me to drive the last 3 laps. My physical condition is not 100%, I have no shoulder pain, but I have lost muscle mass at this point and had to make up for this with a lot of arm work. “
What happened in the fight with Valentino?
“When I was a few seconds behind him I tried to fill the gap and started struggling on my bike. This is a tight and fast route. There are many places where I have suffered with my arm because of the real pressure I put on. While I was fighting Valentino, Joan came and passed us. “
What do you expect from the next weekend? At the pace you and Joan demonstrated today, can Suzuki go for victory?
“We’ll try, the pace is really good, similar to Morbidelli. I have to try to achieve a better qualifying so that I can start from the front and push from the front. “
This championship without a Marquez doesn’t seem to have a real master. Is it correct to say that the one who makes the fewest mistakes wins?
“Maybe we have to be very regular. Many drivers, including myself, have already made mistakes this season and consistency is everything ”.