Mir pulls out of Italian MotoGP following accident in second practice session.

Repsol Honda’s Joan Mir Withdraws from Italian GP Due to Injury

In a surprise turn of events, Repsol Honda rider Joan Mir has withdrawn from the remainder of the Italian GP due to an injury sustained during second practice. This marks his twelfth crash so far this season, surpassing his total number of crashes while riding for Suzuki in 2022.

Marquez Takes Charge as Sole Factory Rider

With Mir out for rest of weekend races, Marc Marquez will be Repsol Honda’s sole factory rider. He returned from injury at last round in France where he was in podium contention before crashing but managed eighth place overall on Friday guaranteeing him Q2 spot.

Alex Rins Shines Among Other Riders

LRC’s Alex Rins finished third among riders during Friday’s combined timings making good use of Marquez’ absence behind him while team-mate Takaaki Nakagami trailed behind finishing only in twenty-first place.

Mir’s Underwhelming 2023 Season

Joan Mir has had a rough start since joining Honda for the 2023 season. He has only managed to score five points so far, all of which came at the Portuguese GP. The Argentina race saw him crash in the sprint leading to cranial and cervical trauma that ruled him out of subsequent races.

Mir then crashed out consecutively in four rounds – the United States GP, both races in Jerez and Le Mans before his double crash at French GP leading him to express fears over suffering similar fate as Jorge Lorenzo and Pol Espargaro given difficulties he currently faces.

A Look Back: Marquez’s Partnerships with Honda Riders Over Years

Marquez has seen several riders partner with him at Honda over past years including Dani Pedrosa in 2018, Lorenzo in 2019, Alex Marquez in 2020 and Espargaro from 2021-22. Throughout these partnerships, Pedrosa’s final year was winless while Lorenzo’s MotoGP career suffered setbacks due to various issues during his tenure at Honda.