JOAN MIR CONSIDERED RETIRING BEFORE GRESINI OFFERED A DUCATI

Joan Mir’s MotoGP future looked uncertain after Honda’s struggles left him without a place in the factory team for 2027. The 2020 world champion had considered ending his career if he could not find a competitive ride, according to his manager, Paco Sanchez. An offer from Gresini Racing and Ducati changed his mind.

Mir’s rise was rapid. He won the 2017 Moto3 title with 10 victories, moved through Moto2 after one season and claimed the MotoGP crown in 2020, his second year in the premier class. He finished third in 2021. After Suzuki withdrew from MotoGP, he joined Honda in 2023, but the RC213V has proved difficult to ride. His championship finishes over the past three seasons were 22nd, 21st and 15th. He managed two podiums last year, but in 2026 had scored 33 points and stood 18th, while Honda teammate Luca Marini was 12th with 108.

Mir’s speed is not in doubt, but his efforts to extract the most from the Honda have often ended in crashes. With Honda preparing a new factory line-up for the 2027 move to 850cc machinery, Mir was not expected to remain with the team. Fabio Quartararo is set to join, while Diogo Moreira is expected to move up from LCR, though his factory promotion had not yet been officially confirmed.

Sanchez said his first priority was to secure a factory seat, but when that appeared impossible, Mir contemplated walking away. “He didn’t even consider Superbike or anything else,” the manager said. “His situation was clear: if I don’t have a competitive bike, I’ll stop and go home.”

Gresini then contacted Sanchez. He said he was unsure whether Mir would accept a satellite-team ride, so he met with the rider and representatives from Gresini and Ducati, including Ducati general manager Gigi Dall’Igna. Sanchez said Mir was promised a factory-specification motorcycle and official factory support. If he delivered the expected results, he would have the same bike as Ducati’s factory riders Marc Márquez and Pedro Acosta, although upgrades could arrive later.

The offer persuaded Mir to continue. “From that point, Joan forgot about the financial side; it became secondary,” Sanchez said. “He focused on the chance to have a competitive bike again. He wants to feel like a rider who can fight for the world championship, win races and be at the front.”

Mir is set to ride Ducati’s 850cc Desmosedici with Gresini in 2027, as MotoGP enters a new technical era. Sanchez’s account suggests the prospect of factory-level machinery, rather than the team’s satellite status, was decisive in keeping the former champion in the sport.