JOAN MIR RETURNS AT SEPANG AFTER VISION PROBLEMS AS MANAGER DEFENDS HIS PRIVACY

Joan Mir is set to return to MotoGP at this weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix after missing four rounds with an illness that began during the San Marino weekend. The Honda rider has been absent since Misano, sitting out the Austrian, Japanese, Indonesian and Australian Grands Prix. He has now revealed that vision problems and extreme fatigue forced him to stop racing. Neither Mir nor Honda had previously disclosed details of his condition.

The lack of information prompted speculation, and Mir’s manager, Paco Sanchez, objected to reports describing the illness as “mysterious”. “Diseases are not mysterious,” Sanchez wrote on social media, stressing that patients are entitled to respectful care, clear information and a say in decisions about their health. Above all, he said, they have the right to protect their privacy and confidentiality.

Speaking at Sepang, Mir described a difficult period marked by uncertainty. “It was a time I needed to stop due to problems with vision and tiredness, but quite extreme,” he said. He added that he had been unable to recover day by day until MotoGP medical chief Dr Angel Charte helped him find a treatment that brought immediate improvement. Mir and his family also worked on his recovery at home.

“There were quite a lot of question marks inside of me in that time about what will happen,” Mir said. “But to really be able to answer this question being here is such an important thing.”

Mir confirmed his return on Tuesday, after hinting at it in a social media post the previous weekend. In Honda’s Malaysian GP preview, he acknowledged that the illness had made for “not an easy period” and thanked those around him for helping him stay focused on recovery.

He said he had ridden different types of bikes during the past week and had received medical clearance to race. The recovery timeline, however, was difficult to judge. Unlike a broken bone, Mir said, vision problems and fatigue offered no clear estimate of when he would be ready. “It was more about time, patience and being 100% sure to go back.”

“I am really looking forward to seeing the team again and seeing what we can do in these final races of the year,” Mir said. He admitted he still had some questions about how he would feel, but added: “I feel good. This is the most important thing.”

Mir also said his recent illness has helped explain aspects of his performance earlier in the season. He returns after a campaign marked by crashes, and said he now “has a lot of answers” about what had been happening.

Sepang, he added, is a familiar venue with good memories for both him and Honda, making it a suitable place to resume competition. But he is not setting out a performance target for the weekend: “The most important point of the weekend is to get back on the bike, reconnect with the team and check my feeling.”

Honda will hope to field both factory riders in Malaysia. Luca Marini also missed the Australian round after being withdrawn because of a virus.