Joan Mir "has a lot of answers" about crash­-strewn 2026 MotoGP campaign as he explains illness

Joan Mir says aspects of his performance earlier this season now make sense in the light of his recent illness.

The Honda rider returns to action in Malaysia this weekend after missing four events due to a medical condition that was never disclosed during his absence.

MotoGPJoan Mir remains on the sidelines as Honda forced to race with one rider in Australia

The Spaniard finally opened up on the illness when he spoke to media at Sepang on Thursday, referencing fatigue and vision issues that had begun even before his spell on the sidelines.

Mir's alarming habit of falling during races had come under the spotlight before his layoff. Though he was not specifically asked about that issue, he was quizzed about whether the medical problem had been affecting him during the season without him being aware of it.

MotoGPJoan Mir defends himself over his crashes: "I know how to ride without crashing; it's very easy"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, completely," said the 2020 world champion. "Now I have a lot of answers [about] things that happened."

Speaking in his Spanish-language briefing, Mir explained how his medical issues gradually mounted in the weeks leading up to September's San Marino Grand Prix - his last before taking time off.

Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / Getty Images

“The most worrying things were the vision problems, and also the extreme fatigue, which I couldn’t control," he said. "Before Misano, I’d already been experiencing this for a while, but it was there that I started to lose control of it.

"The cause was linked to a vision problem I’d had in the past, which, combined with stress, got worse.”

Mir stressed that he was speaking only about his symptoms and that his comments were not any kind of diagnosis.

Back in his English interview, Mir was asked about whether missing four races had been easier given how Honda had struggled: "Japan was painful because it's a track that I enjoy a lot and I think the bike normally was quite good. But all the other races..."

Mir chuckled as he trailed off, before mustering a more serious reply. Racing while unfit would be unwise, reckoned the 29-year-old Mallorcan.

"Honestly, you always want to be part of the game, but if you don't feel well... [then] whatever you think, it's bad for you," he said. "It's not helping because you are not ready."

Additional reporting by Rachit Thukral

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