Joan Mir defends his high crash rate in MotoGP
Honda rider Joan Mir has defended his high number of crashes, attributing them to the risks needed to extract performance from a difficult bike.
Joan Mir has crashed 16 times so far in the 2025 MotoGP season. The Honda factory rider says his high fall rate stems from pushing an uncompetitive machine beyond its limits in search of results.
According to Motorsport.com, Mir and championship leader Jorge Martin share the joint-highest crash count this year with 16 each. Mir's tally continues a trend from his time with Honda, where he has averaged more than one crash per grand prix.
A Pattern of Falls
Mir joined the Repsol Honda team in 2023. That season, he crashed 24 times in 15 race appearances. For context, that equaled the total number of falls he had in his three previous years with Suzuki. The dynamic has persisted. Across 69 grands prix with Honda, Mir has recorded 79 crashes.
He is not alone in struggling with the RC213V. Johann Zarco crashed 49 times in 48 races for the LCR Honda satellite team. A recent crash for Zarco in Barcelona had "disastrous consequences," the report states.
The Reason for the Risk
When asked to explain the statistic, particularly as many falls occur early in races, Mir said there was no single cause. "Every crash has a different reason," he explained. He cited contact at the start of the Silverstone race as one example. He argued that racing at the front, where he is not currently positioned, is inherently safer.
"The way of racing at the front of the races is very different from how you compete at the back," Mir said. "And what you have to try to do is be further forward." He admitted some crashes come from "taking more risks than necessary and trying to push more than was possible." These, he said, are the incidents he must control.
Mir linked his aggressive approach to his career situation. "I am an experienced rider, but now I am also a rider who has to take advantage of any opportunity to get a good result, because I don't know when another opportunity will come," he stated. He described a choice between increased hunger or being switched off by lack of success.
The Contrast with Marini
A stark contrast exists within the Honda garage. Mir's teammate, Luca Marini, has a dramatically lower crash rate. Since joining Honda in 2024, Marini has contested 51 grands prix and crashed only 13 times. Just three of those falls happened in races.
The report presents a comparative table of crash statistics for the two Honda factory riders:
| Rider | Team | Seasons Covered | Grands Prix | Total Crashes | Race Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joan Mir | Repsol Honda | 2023-2025 | 69 | 79 | Not specified |
| Luca Marini | Repsol Honda | 2024-2025 | 51 | 13 | 3 |
It is unclear whether Honda management values Mir's high-risk pursuit of speed or Marini's more measured, consistent approach. Mir believes a competitive project should appreciate the former. "In a competitive project, what is most appreciated is speed, trying to go to the maximum and getting the best possible result," he said.
Never Settle Mentality
Mir defended his philosophy directly. "I also know how to ride the other way, without crashing," he asserted. "Surely, if you have the speed, going slower is very easy. But if you don't have it, going faster is the difficult thing."
He summarized his mindset as "never settle." This approach, he suggested, is a mental challenge for a former champion. "When you have won and you know you can be at the front, you wonder why you are not there and you want to keep taking risks," Mir reflected. "But these are my demons."
The report notes that Mir has previously had doubts about his future in the sport. Those have now been replaced by ambition and excitement for the 2027 season, where he is slated to ride a satellite Ducati for the Gresini team.
