CHANTRA COULD REPLACE ABSENT MIR AT HONDA

Joan Mir’s absence from MotoGP has stretched well beyond a brief illness. The Honda rider’s last public message came after the San Marino Grand Prix, where he retired after five laps, exhausted: “Team, I’m sorry. I couldn’t do more today.” Four weeks later, there was still no clear update on his condition or a confirmed return date.

Mir has missed three events. Honda’s limited communication, despite consultations with MotoGP chief medical officer Dr Angel Charte, has left the diagnosis undisclosed; the reported approach has been to let him rest. The uncertainty has also exposed how difficult it can be for a team to cover a full-time rider during a packed season.

Honda first called on test rider Taka Nakagami in Austria, where he made a strong impression while also handling important development work on the upcoming 850cc machine. For the Japanese Grand Prix, however, Nakagami was needed for a wildcard assignment. He crashed before the Motegi race and broke his collarbone. Somkiat Chantra, Honda’s World Superbike rider, then took Mir’s place, scoring points and finishing ahead of VR46 rider Franco Morbidelli before returning to his Superbike commitments.

Aleix Espargaró was the next substitute. Aside from a brief shakedown, it was his first outing on a 1000cc Honda in six months; his previous race had been in Valencia in late 2025. His weekend ended after a Saturday sprint crash, leaving the factory Honda without a rider in its garage.

There has been no further word from Spain or Mir’s camp about when the number 36 might return. One possible option for Honda is Chantra: with his Superbike season finished, he could resume MotoGP duties as a longer-term replacement, potentially as soon as the Australian round.

The episode highlights the strain of maintaining a race programme across 22 events and 44 races, alongside an intensive schedule of promotional commitments. Even a manufacturer with Honda’s resources can be left scrambling when a rider is unavailable and its substitutes are pulled in different directions. Mir’s recovery remains the central concern.