JOAN MIR CLEARED TO RETURN FOR MALAYSIAN GP AFTER HEALTH SCARE
29 Oct 2026·
Joan Mir is back in the MotoGP paddock for the Malaysian Grand Prix after a health problem forced him to miss four rounds. The 2020 world champion sat out the races in Austria, Japan, Indonesia and Australia while he and MotoGP medical chief Dr Angel Charte investigated bouts of vision trouble and severe fatigue.
Mir was cleared to return on Thursday. “I’m so happy to be back, because I was at home for quite a while,” he said. “It was a difficult time, with a lot of question marks.” He explained that his symptoms had grown worse during the final races of the season’s first part, eventually making a break necessary. After beginning treatment with Charte, he said, the cause became clearer and his condition improved gradually.
Mir believes the illness was connected to a vision problem he had experienced in the past. He said the issue increased the stress of racing and contributed to his exhaustion. The team carried out numerous tests before they understood what might be happening. Mir thanked Honda, team manager Alberto Puig and the wider team for respecting his situation and helping him throughout the process, adding that such support means a great deal when a rider is unwell.
The uncertainty made the layoff especially difficult. Unlike recovering from a broken bone, Mir said, it was hard to estimate when he would be fit to ride again. “Mentally, it was tough,” he said, describing the challenge of not knowing when he could return. The priority was to give himself time and make sure he was fully ready. He still had some doubts ahead of the Sepang weekend, but said he felt well and would assess how he responded once back on the bike.
Mir said he now has answers to many of the questions that had troubled him, though he intends to keep the details private. He believes what he has learned will be important for the future.
Honda’s factory line-up is also set to be complete in Malaysia: Luca Marini has recovered from a viral illness that kept him out of the Australian Grand Prix.