Joan Mir looking to set his MotoGP record straight

MotoGP’s 2020 world champion Joan Mir says he’s content with the opening races of 2022 so far, after a solid if unspectacular start to the season that means he sits sixth in the championship three races in.

It’s left the Suzuki man 12 points behind new leader Aleix Espargaro but crucially ahead of pre-season title rivals like reigning world champion Fabio Quartararo and 2021 runner-up Pecco Bagnaia.

Sunday’s Argentine Grand Prix ended with Mir not quite able to match the performances of team-mate Alex Rins for the second race in a row as Rins came home in third – but with Mir very nearly able to hunt him down and catch him in the closing stages of the race, he was adamant afterwards that there’s still plenty to be upbeat about.

That’s because the performance that allowed him to chase down Rins comes from finding the one thing that he was most missing in his lacklustre 2021 title defence – the ability to go on the attack in the closing laps of races, his greatest strength in 2020 but missing since then.

And while he might be a little disappointed with fourth and not third, the breakthrough step in finding his old feeling again means that the overall picture as MotoGP heads to Texas for the final of four overseas opening rounds kicking off the season is a very positive one indeed for the Suzuku rider.

Now it is to be seen that whether he picks up for the rest of the reason and does well moving ahead or not. A lot to play for will come up for him as the battle for him would be to over come the frustration and the depression to take on the challenges ahead. May be USA could be the next one lucky for him.