Honda confirmed this week that Marc Marquez will be making his comeback at the Aragon Motorcycle Grand Prix at MotorLand Aragon next weekend. In the Suzuki camp, there is the same plan for Joan Mir.
While Marquez has missed six races due to his fourth humerus surgery and has not competed in a race weekend since late May (Mugello), Mir missed just one race. At Misano, the Suzuki rider was replaced by Kazuki Watanabe after breaking his right ankle in the previous race.
The reason for Mir’s ankle fracture was the severe highside in the first lap of the Austrian Grand Prix on August 21st in Spielberg. The medical diagnosis made in Mir’s hometown of Palma de Mallorca ordered 15 days of rest for the bone. At the Aragon weekend, the 2020 MotoGP world champion now wants to try to make his comeback.
Just like Marquez, Mir will tackle the first free practice session on Friday and then decide together with the team whether the race weekend will continue or whether it will have to be ended prematurely in the interests of further recovery. The Asian tour of the 2022 MotoGP calendar begins with the Japanese Grand Prix in Motegi on the weekend after the Aragon Grand Prix.
Unlike Marquez, Mir wasn’t on the bike for the two-day Misano test (6/7 September). Due to the Suzuki exit announced months ago at the end of the season, Mir’s teammate Alex Rins only drove a few laps on the first day. The next day MotoE champion Dominique Aegerter had the opportunity to drive the Suzuki GSX-RR and was thrilled.
Mir joins the Honda factory team for the 2023 MotoGP season, becoming Marc Marquez’s new teammate.