Joan Mir confirms talks with Repsol Honda have begun

After the shock, but expected confirmation from Suzuki that they intend to leave the MotoGP world championship at the end of this season, Mir has been left without a seat as it stands. 

However, that’s likely to change in the coming weeks as talks between his manager and several teams have already begun. 

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The 2020 world champion has been in good form so far this season, and despite being without a win, as is Suzuki team-mate Alex Rins, both riders are very much in the title fight. 

Preliminary discussions with MotoGP teams have already started according to Mir

Mir, who confirmed talks with Suzuki were at an advanced stage before the Japanese manufacturer dropped its bombshell news to riders and team members after the Jerez test, told MotoGP.com that Honda is now a realistic option. 

"From Jerez, we were officially on the market," added Mir. "We were in negotiations with Suzuki before everything that happened. Now, for sure, my manager will have more work than he expected. He is speaking with Honda, with different manufacturers, to try to fix my future. But it’s not easy.

"Am I in a hurry? No, not especially. If you ask every rider in the paddock, they’ll say that they’d prefer to have their future fixed than not. 

"Everyone is the same on that. As soon as we have something it will be better for me, for everyone."

With interest very much mutual between Mir and Repsol Honda, a move to join Marc Marquez would result in fellow Spaniard Pol Espargaro being dropped. 

After Jerez, a report in Italian media suggested Espargaro had already been told by Honda that he would be let go. 

But Espargaro has since hit back by calling it ‘fake news’ and that he’s instead remained in dialogue with Honda as well as other teams regarding his future. 

"We are in a world where we are more and more surrounded by fake news," Espargaro said.

"I have a manager who is talking with different teams, as well as Honda [about next year]."

Other options for Mir could be a switch to Yamaha, albeit Franco Morbidelli would have to be negotiated out of his current deal which runs until the end of 2023, thus making it unlikely, while Aprilia remains an option too. 

But with that said, Honda appears to be Mir’s #1 option and vice-versa for the most successful brand in MotoGP. 

Wherever Mir ends up he’s unlikely to have the same team around him as many of the Suzuki staff will be looking for jobs throughout the paddock.

The one-time premier class race winner said it would be ‘great’ to have his entire team follow him, but that a lot of the decisions will be conditioned by where he ultimately ends up. 

"For sure, if I can have my team, it would be great," continued Mir. "But we also have to consider where I will go, what the conditions will be. There are the people already at the team I’ll go to, if they want to leave or if they want to stay. There are many things." 

Unlike Mir, Rins confirmed no talks have taken place with other teams as it stands, although he expects that to change this weekend in Le Mans. 

Rins was second fastest during FP1, while Mir finished sixth - +0.171s down on P. Espargaro.