Joan Mir hit the penalty he received during MotoGP in Malaysia after removing Johann Zarco from the checkered flag for four laps. He said he was singled out because he is a newbie.
The Spaniard was on the rise after a bad start, running in tenth place behind Zarco, who in turn had a fading Jack Miller in his sights.
However, his attempt to overtake Zarco at Turn 14, which contracts at the front, resulted in him hitting Zarco’s Honda at a low angle and sliding into retirement.
It spoiled a strong finish for the Frenchman in just his second race with LCR Honda. Handed me a long lap penalty where, instead of a time penalty, he followed a set route around the outside of a curve that put him back in tenth place on the flag.
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It was a reaction that I found to be “unfair” and tougher due to his rookie status. He pointed out that in Brno Zarco eliminated him in a similar way and that no penalty was imposed on him.
“I was inside, then Zarco tried to overtake Miller and he didn’t see me coming from inside,” said Mir to sister publication Crash.net. “It’s normal, it’s obviously not his fault. And we both touched.
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“He crashed, unfortunately he drove a great race, so I’m sorry but it wasn’t my fault. It was something that can happen in the race.
“When we look back on all the problems I had – in Mugello with Valentino, in Brno also with Zarco, who met me on the first lap and my race was over. All these things and they got nothing, and for me a long lap.
“OK because I’m a newbie it was probably the easiest thing to do. ‘Zarco crashed so we’re going to give him a long lap’. But I think it wasn’t the right thing and we need to talk about it because am In the end it wasn’t my fault.
“I think Davide [Brivio, team manager] I wanted to speak to the FIM stewards, but which shows that it wasn’t my fault that Zarco came into my garage and apologized for it. I also said “sorry” for my part because I couldn’t avoid it.
“So we both understand the situation, but not the direction of the race. But still, beginners – easy [to give a penalty]. “
Johann Zarco claims a Honda seat for 2020
After a positive maiden foray in Australia – despite being hampered by a lack of track time due to a disrupted schedule – Zarco was preparing for a big performance at Sepang a year after taking a podium from pole position on Yamaha machines.
Though the result didn’t find its way in the end, it gave a strong indication of what he’s capable of on Honda machines.
More importantly, things are going faster than Jorge Lorenzo has been looking at his Repsol Honda factory all season, which again increases the prospect of a change in driver policy if the situation in the Spaniard’s warehouse does not improve. He now only has one race left to prove he can move up in 2020 but Zarco will see it as the best opportunity to get his message home.