It’s the end of the year, so it’s time to take stock and formulate good resolutions for the future. This goes for everyone, including Joan Mir, the 2020 MotoGP World Champion who was knocked from the top spot this year by Fabio Quartararo without ever being able to fight him. It’s not just the Spaniard’s fault as his Suzuki couldn’t compete with the best of the competition and the challenge of defending his crown proved impossible.
But everyone can grow even in difficult moments and that’s exactly what I did, as he writes on his blog.
“It’s finally time to switch off from the racing world and try to relax! I find it hard to do that because I’m the type of person who is always active and wants to do things. But this year I’ve learned the importance of balancing the stresses of racing with the need to keep calm and take time out. The truth is, these moments of relaxation will be part of my preparation for 2022 and are just as important as training in the gym. I’ll take a few weeks to enjoy things. I’m in luck, and then I’ll turn my attention to jumping on a bike. Until I am reunited with my GSX-RR, I will train with the Supermoto and MX bikes and even go karting – all of this helps me a lot with my technique and my skills, I learn something every time and they also help, to keep my fitness at a top level.
“In general, I feel like I took a lot of useful things with me this year, for example it was important to just fight. I fought really hard this 2021 season to get a good result at the end of the year and for the year To achieve the process I have learned to always fight hard and never give up, even in difficult years I try to achieve good results and to make the best of every situation. And even if this year wasn’t that great for us, I really enjoyed the comebacks, the good fights and overtaking maneuvers. And I’m happy to have achieved 3rd place in the drivers’ championship against some tough competitors.
“All this talk about the fight on the track makes me curious to ride the 2022 GSX-RR again. The Jerez test went well for us and soon we’ll be back on the bike in Sepang. My first impression of the improvements was good, ”and it makes me want to take up the fight again. But in addition to my time on the bike, it will be important to see what the team brings and find out what works and what we may still be missing.After the tests are completed, it is difficult to properly assess the bike, It’s important to improve our speed without losing the great turning ability of the GSX-RR. Improving grip is another interesting and important area. And the height stability device is good, but still needs some fine-tuning. In the end there is nothing that can be changed or “repaired” on our bike. In MotoGP you have to constantly develop and progress in all areas. I am confident that we can do it. There are other things to look forward to next year too, like having more fans on the tracks. For me, 2020 was a perfect year for me … everything except that the fans weren’t around. Now in this whole racing world there is point in watching people come back. It was so strange to race along the racetracks with empty grandstands and silence, apart from the noise from our motorcycles.
“My New Years resolution list would have a few things; but the most important thing is that I want to fight for the title again. That will always be my focus and ultimate goal, and it’s something that won’t change until I quit.” Racing … and I definitely want to get a title, victories and podium places and share all these moments with the passionate and supportive fans. “